


Refutations of Time and Space

by pierrot



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Space, Angst, Drama, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Major Character Injury, Minor Character Death, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-10
Updated: 2016-07-24
Packaged: 2018-07-14 05:24:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 59,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7155470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pierrot/pseuds/pierrot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jun thought he would have been happiest never seeing Sakurai Sho again. But with Nino suddenly missing, he'll need to put old grudges aside if he wants to protect everything he holds dear.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was vaguely inspired by a recent Cowboy Bebop rewatch. I definitely took more of a "space for the aesthetics" over hard sci-fi approach, but I hope nothing veers too far off into the realm of implausibility. Concrit is, as always, very welcome!
> 
> Title is from the Digable Planets song _Time & Space (A New Refutation Of)_.
> 
> I'm hoping to stick to a weekly update schedule, so feel free to bug me if I forget. I'll also be posting new chapters to [LJ](http://pierrot.livejournal.com) if you prefer to read it there.

The moment he saw that familiar red ship in the sky coming down for landing, Jun turned and ran back into the workshop hangar to get his gun.  
  
He wondered whether his usual favoured weapon would be enough, or if he should take the time to head into the storage room to find something with a bit more firepower. Something that could blast a hole right through the ship’s hull. Jun figured he was more than entitled to that, after all.  
  
He raced around the ships stowed in the hangar, steps unconsciously moving to match the loud pounding noises that echoed around the room. The other mechanic that worked in the workshop alongside Jun—a small, permanently grease-stained man named Ohno—was sprawled out on one of the raised platforms near the centre of the room, busy hammering some sheet metal. The noises stopped the moment he noticed Jun pass by and he looked over at Jun with some concern.  
  
“Everything okay, Jun?” he called out.  
  
Jun barely glanced at Ohno, too caught up in his anger and his desperate need to get himself armed.  
  
“Fucking asshole thinks he can waltz back here like nothing’s changed.”  
  
Jun reached the storage room at the back of the hangar and slammed the door open. His favourite gun was already out, on top of the desk near the door, and he decided to take it rather than waste time searching through their poorly organised shelves for anything bigger. He knew he kept a fully loaded magazine in the desk’s top drawer, so he made sure to reach in and grab it before he turned back.  
  
The red ship had almost completed its descent by the time Jun made it back outside. Clouds of dust blew up around him and he pulled an arm over his eyes to protect them. He raised the gun in his right hand and fired a shot at the front of the ship. It wouldn’t do anything, but at least it made him feel a bit better. Besides, he wanted the ship’s owner to be clear that he was most certainly not welcome here.  
  
Jun squinted up through the dust as it settled, trying to get a visual on the pilot, but he couldn’t see clearly through the tinted glass. He steadied his gun outstretched in front of him and waited for the ship’s hatch to open.  
  
Finally, it did, and out dropped a familiar figure.  
  
It had been over two years since Jun last saw Sakurai Sho. It seemed he was not much changed, only dressed up nicer now in a fancy, dark uniform. Jun noted that his hair was clean-cut, his face a bit fuller. It was obvious Sho had been living more comfortably since they parted, unlike the rest of them. Jun was irritated to find that the combined effect served to make him more handsome than he remembered.  
  
He shoved the thought to the back of his mind and tightened his grip on his gun.  
  
Sho raised his hands in the air as soon as he took sight of Jun and took two cautious steps forward.  
  
“Come on now, Jun. Must we really act like this?”  
  
Jun snarled.  
  
“You dare to even say that,” he spat. “I told you not to come back here again.”  
  
“This is my home too. At least hear me out before you do something you regret.”  
  
“Trust me, there’s nothing I want to hear from the likes of you.”  
  
They stared at each other, both considering their next move. Jun shifted his body weight forward, eyes hardening, and Sho took a small step back. Sho opened his mouth, about to say something, before his attention was suddenly diverted away from Jun.  
  
“Jun,” a voice called out from behind him.  
  
Jun spun around to see Ohno was standing a few paces away. He lowered his gun.  
  
“I know you’re upset but Sho’s right. Put the gun away.”  
  
Jun was still bristling with anger but he relented. Ohno was rarely the type to tell Jun what to do, so when he did, it was usually serious. Listening to Ohno had saved him from trouble on more than one occasion, and Jun had learned to pay attention. He released the magazine and put it in his pocket, still keeping hold of the gun in his hand.  
  
Ohno walked up to him and squeezed his shoulder. The gratitude in his eyes tempered Jun slightly.  
  
Ohno looked over at Sho, squinting into the sun as he spoke. “It’s been a long time.”  
  
Sho smiled back in response. “It’s good to see you again, Ohno.”  
  
Jun snorted. It was fine if they wanted to play at niceties but he would have no part of it. “Just tell us what the hell it is you’re doing here.”  
  
Sho looked slowly from Ohno to Jun. “Well, for starters, my ship needs fixing.” He grinned sheepishly. “Blew out one of the propulsion engines and there’s a fair bit of damage to the exterior. Probably some other things wrong but you know I’ve never been so good with the mechanics.”  
  
Jun narrowed his eyes. “I don’t see why you need to come here for that.”  
  
“I was nearby and low on fuel so why not?” He offered Jun a small smile but Jun’s face remained hard. “You’re still the best mechanics I know, after all.”  
  
If he was hoping to sweeten Jun with flattery, he should have known better than to try. But then again, he should have also known better than to show up in front of Jun asking for help, so maybe Sakurai Sho had forgotten some important facts in the time he had been gone.  
  
Jun was about to remind him of how things really were when he was interrupted.  
  
“We’ll fix it for you.”  
  
Jun spun to face Ohno, his mouth dropping open in disbelief. Ohno didn’t seem at all fazed, simply shrugging with a calm expression on his face.  
  
“We need the money, Jun. It’s not going to kill you to do this.”  
  
“Might I just add that my fuel tank is basically empty right now so I’m not going anywhere until I refuel anyway.” Sho was bolder in the presence of Ohno and walked right up to stand closer to them. Jun suppressed the urge to to turn around and punch him square in the face.  
  
He had no desire to indulge this farce, wanting nothing more than for Sho to get back in that ship and fly back to wherever it was he came from. Then maybe Jun could just pass this whole incident off as a bad dream. But with Ohno’s approval, he was outnumbered.  
  
“Fine.” The agreement tasted bitter as it left Jun’s mouth. “But you’re paying us extra for a high priority job. I don’t want to have to keep you around for any longer than necessary.” Sho wasn’t smiling but he nodded at Jun. “And you better keep out of my way while you’re here.”  
  
He stormed away before either Sho or Ohno could say anything further.  
  


 

─────────────

  
  
  
Jun threw his wrench down on the ground in frustration. Hours had passed since he’d started work on Sho’s ship, and it felt like every time he looked there was a new problem that needed attention. Sho had seriously understated the damage. It was actually kind of amazing that he’d still managed to fly it over in one piece.  
  
The sun had long since gone down, and Ohno had left for the day with it. Jun wanted to stay up working on the ship as long as he could, but he already knew it would take at least three days to fix. They would probably also need to get some new replacement parts delivered in. He hoped Okada, who usually supplied them with what they needed, would be able to send them over fast.  
  
His muscles ached as he sat up straight and his stomach chose that moment to remind him that he had not eaten since morning. Jun sighed and stood up, wiping the grease off his hands with a rag. It probably wouldn’t hurt to take a break and get some dinner before it was too late. He locked up the hangar and headed over to Aiba’s bar, a mercifully short walk away.  
  
When Jun opened the door to the bar, he wanted to kick himself for being so thoughtless. Of course Sho was there, sitting at the counter and laughing with Aiba like old friends. Which he supposed they were, even if it stung Jun a little to see how cheerful they looked together. Jun wondered if he could turn back and go find somewhere else to eat. Not that there were too many options this far out of town. But it was too late; Aiba noticed him and waved frantically, a wide smile on his face.  
  
“Jun, look who’s here! Come join us!”  
  
Sho turned around in his seat to look at Jun. His face was still crinkled with laughter, but it became more hesitant as their eyes met. Jun grimaced and walked over to the bar. He sat himself on one of the stools, making sure to leave a space between him and Sho.  
  
“Let me pour you a drink,” Aiba said, already pulling out a glass. “We need to celebrate! It’s been so long since we were all together like this.”  
  
Jun offered a tight smile and accepted the drink from Aiba. He took a large swig, letting the alcohol burn down his throat.  
  
“Sho’s been telling me all about what he’s been up to since he’s been gone. Did you know they made him second-in-command of interplanetary relations? Our very own Sho, protecting the peace of the universe.”  
  
Sho laughed. There was a nervous edge to it, and Jun caught the way Sho’s eyes flickered over to him. “It’s not really anything so dramatic. Mostly I just fly from place to place and sit in boring meetings where people complain a lot so I can report back to the government. And it’s only this side of the solar system, so there haven’t been many serious disputes of late. Totally unexciting.”  
  
“Stop selling yourself short! You don’t have to play modest around us, we’re proud of you.” Aiba smiled, oblivious to the tension that had begun to seep into the room ever since Jun arrived.  
  
Jun held his glass up in front of his face as if to consider it and looked slyly out of the corner of his eyes at Sho. “A lot of damage on that ship for such an unexciting job.”  
  
Sho shifted uncomfortably in his seat and snuck a glance at Jun. “Yeah, well. You know how it goes.”  
  
“Not really,” Jun shot back. He took another sip from his drink.  
  
Aiba cocked his head and looked between them, eyebrows furrowed. “Ship?”  
  
It was Sho who responded. “That’s part of why I’m here actually. My ship’s all busted up and I needed to bring it in for repairs. Jun promised to get it all nice as new again quick as possible.” Jun almost snorted. That was certainly a nice way of putting it.  
  
“You mean _Chesuto_? You still have the same ship?”  
  
Sho laughed. “Yeah, still holding on to it. Probably should have traded in for a newer model years ago, but _Chesuto_ has a lot of sentimental memories attached.”  
  
“Well I’m glad you didn’t! I loved that ship.” Aiba sighed, a wistful gaze on his face. “Flew so nicely.”  
  
“You mean fast. I always feared for my life when you took me out in it.”  
  
Aiba grinned. “What’s the point of flying if you don’t go fast?” Even Jun couldn’t help a genuine smile at that, remembering the way Aiba used to live those words as his life motto.  
  
Aiba’s expression shifted and his face fell. “Not doing too much of that these days though.” He fingered the metal casing over his left arm and Jun shot him a sympathetic gaze.  
  
Once upon a time, Aiba was the best pilot of them all—possibly the best pilot their side of the solar system. It seemed like there was nothing he couldn’t do with a ship: no stunt was too dangerous, no crazy modification he couldn’t invent to make ships fly faster than anyone thought possible. But a bad crash landing after narrow escape from enemy fighters put an end to all of that. It was often said that he was lucky to have escaped alive, but Jun wondered how lucky it really was to lose the one thing he loved the most.  
  
Jun and Ohno had tried the best they could to come up with ways to improve the functionality of the metal prosthetic that replaced his left arm below the elbow. But they were just simple mechanics, and the cell regeneration technology that could restore his arm completely was a luxury none of them could afford. Aiba got along fine with day-to-day tasks, but flying the way he used to was pretty much lost to him now.  
  
There was an uncomfortable silence between them, but Aiba was never one to let the mood stay solemn for too long. He slapped a hand on the counter and a smile appeared on his face again. “So, how are the repairs going then?”  
  
Jun scowled.  
  
“That bad, huh?” said Sho with a raised eyebrow.  
  
“I don’t know how you were even still flying that thing. When’s the last time you even got someone to inspect it? Some of the tech is years out of date. I can see your shoddy workmanship has hardly changed in all these years, those patch-ups on the engine mount just scream _Sakurai Sho_.”  
  
Sho did not seem bothered by this assessment, even having the gall to smile at him. “Seems you haven’t changed all that much either. Still nagging me about all of my flaws.”  
  
“If anything, he’s gotten worse,” said Aiba. “He’s always checking up on everyone, making sure we do things properly and look after ourselves. Meanwhile, he holes himself up with those ships and works himself to near exhaustion.” He looked at Jun suspiciously. “Speaking of, have you even eaten anything yet tonight, Jun?”  
  
“No,” Jun admitted. “Not yet.”  
  
“You should’ve said something.” Aiba frowned. “There’s still food in the kitchen, I can whip you up something in no time.” He pulled a bottle out from behind the bar and put it on the counter. “Feel free to help yourselves while I’m gone.”  
  
Jun and Sho sat in silence as Aiba disappeared through the back door into the kitchen. Neither of them moved to touch the bottle on the counter despite both of their glasses being near-empty. Jun wondered if they would just sit like this until Aiba returned. That would honestly be preferable to him, but if he knew Sho, the man wouldn’t be able to help himself from say something for too long. Jun sighed and reached for his glass, draining it.  
  
“Please don’t leave on my account.”  
  
Jun swallowed the remainder of his drink slowly and looked sidelong over his glass at Sho.  
  
“Wasn’t planning on it. I came here to eat and it would be rude of me to go now while Aiba’s cooking for me.” He sniffed and put the glass back down on the counter. “But if you’d like to offer to leave first, I won’t say no to that.”  
  
Sho smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Sorry, but Aiba already told me to stay here with him tonight. I don't exactly have anywhere else to go.”  
  
Jun sighed. Of course Sho was staying with Aiba. There weren’t exactly many places he could get a room around here, after all. But now it meant there was no chance of him getting to enjoy his dinner break. He should have stayed at the workshop.  
  
Sho grabbed the bottle on the counter and poured it into his glass, stopping just below the rim. He reached over to pick up Jun’s glass and similarly filled it, not bothering to ask Jun if he wanted more to drink. Jun raised his eyebrows at Sho but accepted the glass, almost sloshing the alcohol over onto the countertop as he lifted it.  
  
There was a moment that their eyes met and they held the stare as they both took a drink at the same time.  
  
“So,” said Jun, putting his glass back on the counter, “you gonna tell me what kind of business you’ve been conducting to get your ship so thoroughly busted up like that?”  
  
“Feeling curious about me after all, Jun?”  
  
Jun shrugged. “Just passing the time. And if I’m going to be spending all my time fixing your ship, I’d like to at least know which assholes I need to thank for causing the damage.”  
  
Sho hummed, his fingers tracing the rim of his glass. If he was waiting for Jun to change his question or drop the subject entirely, well, Jun could be patient. That was something he had gotten a lot better at in the time since Sho left.  
  
“It’s not because of work. I’ve been attending to some personal matters.”  
  
“Personal matters that result in you getting shot at by smugglers from the West?” Jun raised an eyebrow at Sho. “Don’t play coy, I know the marks those guns leave when I see them.”  
  
Sho said nothing and Jun didn’t push the matter. They sat in silence, drinking, until Aiba returned with Jun’s meal.  
  
He stayed quiet while he ate. Sho and Aiba chattered lightly next to him, Aiba catching Sho up on all the local gossip he’d missed in his absence. It was strange to Jun to see the way they were almost exactly the same as they always were. It was like he’d gone back in time to the days when they’d all been friends, except now he found himself the uncomfortable outsider.  
  
Jun finished his dinner quickly and thanked Aiba for the meal. Aiba tried to offer him another drink but he declined, citing a need to get back to the workshop. He nodded a farewell as he stood, leaving a handful of bills on the counter before heading out of the bar.  
  
The night air had grown chilly and Jun shivered in his light overalls. He always forgot to take a jacket with him when he went out at night. A jog back to the workshop would warm him up, maybe clear his head a bit. He still wanted to do some more repairs before it got too late and he knew the alcohol he drank wasn’t going to help with that. Nor were the thoughts swirling around his head, the memories of too many things that were better left forgotten.  
  
“Jun,” a voice called from behind him.  
  
He turned to see Sho, running up to where he stood. His cheeks were slightly flushed, but whether from the temperature or the alcohol, Jun could not tell.  
  
Sho slowed and stopped a few paces in front of him.  
  
“Look, I know you’re angry and I know you hate me now. But I want to make it up to you.” He moved a step closer, gaze locked with Jun. “I missed you, Jun. We were friends.”  
  
Jun held the stare, eyes hardening.  
  
“No, we were comrades. And you betrayed that.”  
  
Pain flashed in Sho’s eyes and he looked away. Jun turned on his heel to walk away and he didn’t look back.  
  


 

─────────────

  
  
  
It was ten years ago that Jun had first signed up for the Defence Leagues and met Sho.  
  
They had just been kids then really, tricked into believing they were fully grown adults. Giddy with adrenaline and the belief that they were bravely fighting for the protection of their people. The first time Jun saw a man drop dead in front of him, blood seeping into the ground where he fell, he realised how much of a lie that was. He was eighteen, and only just learning what war really meant.  
  
Conflict with violent criminal groups had characterised their home planet since as long as Jun could remember. Jizo was a small, sparsely populated planet that lay just off a popular trade route on the outer rim of the Ebisu sector. Its lack of sustainable agricultural prospects and poorly developed infrastructure left it an unpopular destination for migrants and tourists. But the absence of government controls and abundance of a particular type of mineral that was extracted for use in the manufacture of a highly popular and illegal stimulant made it far more attractive to criminal syndicates from the West. With their superior weaponry and technology, barely any resistance was able to be mounted to stop them from taking what they wanted. Only smaller rebellious groups, part of what was known as the Defence Leagues, emerged to do what they could to protect their own hometowns from devastation.  
  
As the years dragged on, the fighting only seemed to get more violent, and Jun grew up. He joined up with four others—Ohno, Sho, Aiba and Nino—and they became something of a unit. _The Storm of the East_ , people called them.  
  
As they continued to survive while mounting successful defensive campaigns, they developed a reputation as the strongest and most trustworthy fighters in the region. Jun was their best and most aggressive fighter, Aiba their ace pilot. Nino took charge of their weapons and strategy, and Ohno just seemed to be good at everything, but especially keeping them all calm and together when everything threatened to spiral out of control. And Sho, brilliant Sho, with his education and family connections and political know-how: he provided them with the crucial intel that kept them safe, kept them one step ahead of their opponents.  
  
It was those connections that led to their eventual end as a group of five.  
  
After years of near-anarchy and instability, a new political party promising change and with strong support emerged. When Sho first told the others about this, they dismissed the information as near-useless. They had already learned that no one could be relied upon for protection besides themselves.  
  
But the people were desperate for peace, and neighbouring planets had grown concerned with the state of the region. Talks began to establish a treaty with more powerful governments in the West; aid and protection in exchange for trade and political support.  
  
Sho ended up joining the talks, recruited by the party to act as a representative.  
  
He tried to get the others to join him at first. Argued that it was the only way to get anything to really change, that the endless fighting was just hurting them in the long run and it couldn’t last forever.  
  
None of them had been convinced. They’d lived through past promises from those who thought they could stop the fighting with politics. Nothing ever came from it, so they’d learned to stop hoping. And even if they did think matters would be different this time, it wasn’t like any of them were diplomats or politicians. They were fighters. They were going to continue to protect their people the only way they knew how.  
  
So Sho left them. There wasn’t really all that much bitterness at first. He had made his choice and them theirs; it was a parting of ways based on irreconcilable viewpoints. They all thought he would probably come back, possibly sooner rather than later.  
  
It was after he left that Aiba’s arm was injured and Mao was killed.  
  
Aiba never blamed Sho at all for the accident. He shouldered all the responsibility for that on himself. But Jun couldn’t help but feel that Sho should have been there with them that day. That maybe if he’d been there to supply them with better intel, Aiba would have never ended up in such a dangerous situation in the first place. That maybe with an extra person, they would have been able to shoot the enemy fighters down before it was too late.  
  
Mao’s murder happened after ‘peace’ had supposedly been established; after the treaty that was meant to mark a change for Jizo. But there was a difference between a symbolic victory and reality. Fighting continued for almost a year after the treaty was signed, and far away from the capital as they were, the group’s hometown received little protection from the forces sent by the West.  
  
Mao had been one of Jun’s closest friends. Before Jun and Ohno took over the repairs shop, it had been owned by her father. It was where they went when they had the time and money to do so to get proper overhauls on their ships. Often they would end up helping the old man out with the tasks they could do themselves in exchange for discounts. Mao was almost always around, working in the shop with her father and scolding them whenever they came by with their busted ships.  
  
Jun and Mao were always especially close. He spent the most time at the shop, always keen to learn as much as he could so he wouldn’t be left helpless when they were too far away to get help with fixing their ships. Her father used to joke that he was teaching Jun so he could marry Mao and take over the business some day. Jun knew that wasn’t going to happen, but it was still nice to imagine sometimes.  
  
Jun returned from a skirmish out south of the town’s edge one day, six months after the treaty was signed, to find the workshop in shambles. An air raid, it was said, by passing enemy ships. No one was sure whether it was a targeted attack or just random destruction.  
  
Mao and her father were both dead.  
  
The last time Jun saw Sho was at the funeral. He’d been beside himself that day, so utterly devastated about the loss of two people he’d treasured dearly and felt never deserved their fate. He was angry at himself for not being able to prevent it, and resentful at the government for their fake promises of peace. The moment Sho appeared, Jun lashed out. He screamed at Sho, furious he could be there that day when he’d allowed their deaths to happen. He told him on no uncertain terms never to appear in front of him again, and Ohno had to hold him back before he got physical.  
  
Sho left that day and stayed away. Part of Jun knew that Sho was not really to blame for what happened, but that never quite helped his bitterness to dissolve. In Jun’s mind, the only thing Sho could do to help Jun’s hurts fade was to leave him alone.  
  
Returning just brought all those old feelings to the surface.  
  


 

─────────────

  
  
  
Almost two days of continuous work on Sho’s ship and Jun felt as if he could see a light at the end of the tunnel. There was still much to do, and he had yet to receive the parts he needed from Okada, but at least he could put a decent timeline on the work now.  
  
Fortunately, Sho had stayed out of his sight since the uncomfortable evening at Aiba’s. Though Jun was still a little curious as to what he was up to that would have him crossing paths with Western gangs, it was worth not finding out if it meant not talking to Sho again. Maybe he could convince Ohno to take care of payment when it came time to give him his ship back, avoid seeing him before he left entirely.  
  
“Jun,” Ohno called out from the doorway that led to their adjacent office space, “Ryo’s here to pick up his ship.”  
  
Jun took a few seconds to finish tightening a bolt on the control panel before he put his wrench down and jumped out of the ship. He walked over to Ohno, pulling a clean cloth out of his pocket to wipe his hands off as he went.  
  
“Are there any problems left with it that we need to fix?”  
  
Ohno shook his head.  
  
“Do you want to bring his ship out front then, and I’ll sort out payment with Ryo?” Jun’s not even sure why he bothered asking; their roles were set in stone after all this time. Ohno held up the keys in his his hand, and set off for Ryo’s ship with the barest of nods.  
  
Settling payment with Ryo always took longer than most customers, for all that he was a frequent visitor and knew how they operated. He insisted on checking his ship over first, questioning every charge listed on the bill before haggling with Jun over the price. Jun usually let him get away with knocking ten percent off the cost, but only because they were friends of a sort.  
  
Once he finally saw Ryo off, Jun headed straight back to continue work on Sho’s ship.  
  
And stopped short, to see that Sho himself was standing there.  
  
“You’ve done a good job,” said Sho as he crouched to inspect the guns under the left wing. “I’m impressed. Though I suppose I shouldn’t be—you were always the best.”  
  
“No, Ohno was always the best. And I’ll do a better job if you aren’t here to bother me.”  
  
“I promise, I didn’t mean to. But I need to talk to you.” He looked up at Jun, eyes pleading. It made something squirm in Jun’s stomach, and that was an altogether discomfiting feeling he’d rather not have to think about.  
  
“Jun. Please. It’s really important.”  
  
Jun took a moment to consider. He had not really wanted to talk to Sho again, but now that he was here and begging, Jun found it harder to turn him away. If whatever he had to say really was as important as Sho wanted him to believe, then there was a good chance he would not just let Jun ignore him. It was better to hear him out and get it over with.  
  
_Just two more days_ , Jun reminded himself. Then he would hopefully have the ship done and could say goodbye to Sho for good.  
  
“Come on,” he sighed, and gestured at Sho to get up. “We can talk in the office.”  
  
Sho followed Jun to the office and he closed the door behind them. It wasn’t a very big room, but they didn’t keep much in it. A desk with a computer and a credit scanner on one side, a filing cabinet for their records on the other. Jun and Ohno vaguely thought about buying chairs when they first got started, but they never really seemed to feel their absence so in the end they never did. There was one lone, ratty chair jammed in the corner next to the door that led outside that Jun thought was probably donated by Aiba at some point. It seldom was used—most of their customers just walked straight into the workshop hangar.  
  
Jun chose to prop himself against the desk, resting his weight on the edge. He stretched his legs out in front of him and crossed his arms in expectation. Sho took his time as he entered the room, taking a good look around. His eyes caught on the sole chair as if considering it, but in the end he made no move to take it. He stopped in front of Jun, arms dangling awkwardly by his sides.  
  
Jun didn’t say anything, just leaned back and waited for Sho to start talking. He seemed to need some time to find his words. Jun watched how he shifted on his feet, fingers pulling at the edge of his uniform, before he turned to meet Jun’s gaze.  
  
“I need to tell you something very important. It’s to do with the personal matters I mentioned,” he finally said, face drawn into a concerned frown. “You asked before what it was I’d been doing to get shot at by smugglers.”  
  
Jun raised his eyebrows. So Sho had somehow gotten himself mixed up in something that involved one of the smuggler groups that still operated outside the government’s control. Not that he needed the confirmation when the damage on his ship spoke for itself. Only criminal gangs used outlawed plasma cannons, and those left a very distinct mark which Jun knew too well.  
  
But it was definitely intriguing that whatever Sho had been doing wasn’t anything related to work. He did not think it likely for Sho to be getting involved in anything so dangerous. Not anymore.  
  
“It’s about Nino.”  
  
Jun frowned. That definitely wasn’t a name he expected to hear right then. Nino was someone he didn’t see much these days either, though still more often than Sho. He had left shortly after the fighting had calmed down, citing a need to move away from it all and find new opportunities for himself. He started his own small trading company, using all the weapons knowledge he’d gained to build a far more profitable career.  
  
Aiba sometimes liked to remark that it was funny that the one who disliked flying the most out of all of them ended up in a job that required him to fly across the galaxy. Nino just said that in the end, money mattered more than anything else.  
  
“Nino doesn’t deal with smugglers,” responded Jun. Whatever could be said about his often ruthless business tactics, Jun knew Nino was legitimate. He would never stoop to involve himself with any of the criminal syndicates, not after everything that had happened.  
  
Sho shook his head. The frown on his face was more pronounced now. “It’s not anything like that.” He paused, as if steeling himself for what he was about to say. “Nino’s gone missing.”  
  
Jun stilled. “You know that for sure?”  
  
Sho nodded.  
  
“And you think these smugglers had something to do with it?”  
  
“I know.” He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “As of this morning, in any case. I got word from Riisa”—that was Nino’s second-in-command, Jun recalled—“that Nino had disappeared a few days ago. He’d been off solo, trying to secure a deal with a client. She assured me that their identity wasn’t important.”  
  
Jun snorted. Nino was always cagey with his supplier information, and it seemed Riisa was much the same.  
  
“How did that lead you to the smugglers?”  
  
“Riisa managed to track his ship past Suijin before the signal was lost. The Ikuchi syndicate often travels that way; I’m pretty sure they have a base of operations on one of the smaller planets south of there.”  
  
“ _Ikuchi?_ ” Jun frowned, “I don’t think I’ve heard of them.  
  
“They’re a relatively newer group.” Sho flashed him a bitter smile. “An offshoot of the Umibozu.”  
  
That was a name Jun did recognise. The Umibozu used to be one of the more notorious syndicates, and were responsible for a lot of the damage that occurred during the war. Jun had been under the impression they no longer existed due to concentrated attempts by the government to eradicate them entirely. But it was hardly surprising to think that enough associates had survived to form a new group.  
  
“The group actually started before the Umibozu was completely dissolved, but they grew a lot in size after that happened. Many of those who escaped death or imprisonment joined them. They deal a lot in illegal weapons smuggling, among other things, which is how they might have crossed paths with Nino. The government doesn’t have a lot of intel on them at current, though they are aware of them. I don’t think they have moved to establish any specific task force to target their activities yet.”  
  
“You seem to know a fair bit about them.”  
  
Sho looked away. “I may have hacked into the government’s servers to get any information I thought might help me. There wasn’t a lot, but still better than nothing.”  
  
And the surprises kept on coming. Sho certainly had received a practical education in breaking through protected servers back in their fighting days, when any information they could scrounge from anywhere was crucial to their chances of staying alive. Jun just never expected the current Sho to use such methods.  
  
“So you thought these Ikuchi guys were behind Nino’s disappearance?” asked Jun.  
  
“I wasn’t sure. But I went off to where Riisa had managed to track him to, hoping I could least find his ship somewhere, whether he was still with it or not. Riisa had done what she could looking for him, but she had to leave for an important transportation gig. Said Nino would never forgive her if she ruined things with their biggest client.”  
  
Sho smiled, but it was worn.  
  
“While I was out looking for him Riisa messaged me. Said that Nino had managed to send a signal from his personal comm. No message, but enough to get a location. I flew to the coordinates she sent over and ended up navigating myself right into a group of four Ikuchi ships. Needless to say, they didn’t react to my presence too kindly”  
  
Jun winced. No wonder his ship was so beaten up. Sho did well to make it out of that situation alive.  
  
“I got away from them, somehow, and basically high-tailed it here as soon as I was sure they weren’t following me. I was lucky they were all in slower ships.”  
  
Jun stretched back and considered everything Sho had just told him. There were so many questions he wanted to ask that he had to think about where to start.  
  
“So you think they have some sort of problem with Nino thanks to his weapons trading?”  
  
“Possibly,” said Sho, but he avoided Jun’s eyes and started fiddling with the edge of his sleeve again. “Or—well. Riisa suggested, and I don’t necessarily disagree, that’s there’s a possibility that it has something to do with our clashes with the Umibozu. Revenge.”  
  
Jun stiffened. Certainly, they shot down their fair share of Umibozu ships back then. And if the Ikuchi shared some of the same members then they would have to be familiar with the five of them—if not by sight, then at least by reputation. Revenge was not out of the realm of speculation.  
  
Having spent two years leading mostly quiet lives, it was chilling to know that there were still people out there who could be actively seeking to see them dead.  
  
“So you think they could be after all of us, not just Nino?”  
  
Sho shrugged. “It’s not a possibility I want to discount.”  
  
Well, that explained why Sho came here. If they were under threat, measures would have to be taken to ensure their protection. Jun was not even sure how well they could defend themselves in the event they were attacked, but any warning was better than none.  
  
There was another important thing Jun had to ask Sho; the elephant in the room neither of them seemed willing to address.  
  
Jun suddenly wished he had a drink for this conversation.  
  
“How do you know Nino isn’t dead?”  
  
The question hung between them for an awful moment and neither Sho nor Jun seemed to even breathe, as if all the oxygen in the room had been sucked out with those words. They stared at each other, and suddenly the eye contact felt all too intense to Jun. Still, he couldn’t look away, needing to see the answer in Sho’s eyes.  
  
Sho broke the deadlock first, running fingers through his hair as he sighed.  
  
“I don’t.” A chill ran down Jun’s spine at those simple words. “But I have to believe he is. We know that he couldn’t have been killed when his ship went off the grid or we wouldn’t have gotten that signal from his personal comm. Riisa hopes that if they kidnapped him, they have more reason to keep him alive than dead. Either for the sake of negotiations if it’s a weapons supply dispute, or in the hopes of getting information from him on the rest of us if that’s what they’re after.”  
  
He paused and pulled a small communications device out of his pocket.  
  
“Riisa messaged me this morning.” He passed the communicator over to Jun. “Informed me that the Ikuchi sent her over a ransom demand for Nino.”  
  
Jun frowned as he read the message Sho left open on the screen. Riisa’s message relayed the information about the ransom, including the proposed time and location, but failed to mention how much money they’d asked for in return. He supposed that she planned to take care of that.  
  
He scrolled to the part where they’d asked for “her friend with the red ship” to be there. That lent credence to the theory that the Ikuchi were aware of their identities and wanted payback for the war.  
  
“It’s a trap,” he said flatly and handed the phone back to Sho.  
  
“I know it is,” replied Sho. “But I have to do something and this is the best option I have right now.”  
  
“So you’re just going to fly off into this trap on your own and get yourself killed?”  
  
“I won’t be alone. I’m going to work out a plan with Riisa and she’ll have their whole crew to back me up. And, well…” he paused, rubbing his neck anxiously, and Jun felt his eyes narrow in preparation for whatever would come next.  
  
“I wanted to ask if you would come with me.”  
  
Jun’s eyes widened at the request. Sho looked nervous, bracing himself for Jun’s reaction, and Jun didn’t blame him. It was almost laughable to think that here he was, asking the man who had threatened him only two days earlier to join him in a suicide mission.  
  
But it wasn’t for Sho; it was for Nino. As obviously stupid and dangerous as it was to go chase him right into the Ikuchi’s waiting clutches, Jun could understand it. Taking whatever glimmer of a chance there was to save a friend in need was something that any of them would probably do for each other. Part of Jun wanted to say yes to Sho.  
  
And yet.  
  
“I can’t.”  
  
Jun held up a hand to silence Sho before he could say anything. “Not because of you. But I have a business I need to run, Sho. I can’t just leave that behind on a moment’s notice. And if it’s true that the Ikuchi might be after all of us, I need to stay here. What if they come here and attack the town while I’m gone? I won’t be able to live with myself.”  
  
Sho nodded but his eyes were down. “I understand,” he said with a quiet voice.  
  
Jun stood up and took a step closer to Sho. He still wouldn’t lift his eyes to meet Jun’s, and Jun could see the way his mouth trembled as he tried to force a smile. He almost reached an arm out to touch Sho but he held himself back.  
  
“I’m sorry,” he said, the words feeling hollow even as they left his lips. Sho looked at him then, and it was enough to almost make him take his refusal back. But he knew he couldn’t, so he turned away, and waited for Sho to leave the room.  
  


 

─────────────

  
  
  
Jun walked back into the workshop hangar after his unexpected meeting with Sho feeling frustrated. He was sure he made the right choice in turning Sho down but that didn’t lessen the guilt he felt. If the positions were reversed, would Nino drop everything and risk his life to save Jun? If the others about the decision he’d made, would they judge him?  
  
Jun didn’t know. He needed to talk to Ohno.  
  
He found Ohno back on the platform, this time fiddling with the wires of a detached circuit board. Jun climbed up to join him, sitting down to lean against the railing that stretched along one side. Ohno looked at him as he sat down, still keeping attention to his task.  
  
“You were with Sho?” asked Ohno after a few seconds of silence.  
  
Jun nodded. He didn’t ask how Ohno knew that but the answer wasn’t important anyway. Ohno didn’t say anything further, just waited for Jun to decide when he wanted to talk.  
  
“He had some things to talk to me about. Important things. About Nino.”  
  
Ohno looked up and stopped what he was doing. Jun told him about everything that happened in his meeting with Sho: from the information about Nino’s disappearance and the Ikuchi syndicate, to Sho’s request and Jun’s refusal. Ohno said nothing as he spoke, or even after, only looked at him with concern on his face.  
  
“Do you think I made the wrong choice?” Jun asked finally, once he’d finished telling Ohno everything.  
  
Ohno looked thoughtful. “I think you always make smart decisions, Jun. If you want to stay, then you’re probably right to.”  
  
“And you? Do you want to go with Sho to rescue Nino?”  
  
Ohno thumbed the bracelet on his wrist. It was a present from Nino, brought back on one of his visits. He bought them each something small on his travels, claiming they needed something to remember him by while he was gone. For Ohno, he found a simple bracelet made of fishing line, with a small decorative hook attached to one end. Ohno always liked to fish. He’d taken all of them out with him when he could, though these days he mostly just went solo. Jun wondered if he often missed the times he went out with Nino, for all that Nino hated it and complained endlessly.  
  
“No,” he replied eventually, looking back up. “I believe in Nino. I’m sure that whatever situation he is in, he can take care of himself and come out safe. I believe in that better than I believe that I can help him right now. My place remains here.”  
  
Jun really hoped he could believe in Nino the same way Ohno did.  
  
“You should take a break,” said Ohno after a minute of silence.  
  
Jun frowned at him and opened his mouth to protest.  
  
“I’ll work on Sho’s ship for you for a while. Go to Aiba’s and have a drink. I think you probably could use one right now.”  
  
After thinking a moment, Jun decided to accept the generous offer. He really did want a drink and he did not feel much like working either. He thanked Ohno gratefully and resolved to make it up to him soon.  
  
Luck was upon him that afternoon, as Sho was nowhere to be found when Jun walked into Aiba’s bar. He gave Aiba a tired smile as he sat down and ordered a drink.  
  
“Unusual to see you in here at this time of day,” remarked Aiba as he poured Jun’s drink.  
  
Jun took a sip, ice cubes clinking at his teeth. Aiba wiped down the condensation from on the countertop with a cloth and slid a coaster over for Jun to place his glass back down on.  
  
“I had a difficult afternoon.”  
  
He hoped Aiba would note his tone and refrain from asking too many questions. Jun did not feel much like rehashing the events of the day all over again.  
  
“Did you talk to Sho?”  
  
“He told you?”  
  
Aiba shook his head. “I just assumed he would probably want to tell you the same thing he told me.”  
  
So Sho had already told Aiba about the situation with Nino. Which made sense considering Aiba and Nino were old friends and Aiba was far friendlier with Sho than Jun was. He wondered why Sho had even approached him before Ohno, and whether he was still planning on talking to the older man.  
  
“I told Sho I wouldn’t go with him to rescue Nino.” He paused and looked at Aiba to try to gauge his reaction. “I’m sorry, Aiba, I really am.”  
  
“You don’t have to apologise.” He tried to smile reassuringly but couldn’t quite hide the sadness in his eyes. “I can’t say I didn’t wish you were going with us, but I understand.”  
  
“Wait—you’re going with him?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“But Aiba—”  
  
“No, Jun. I have to do this. Nino’s my oldest friend, and it’s hard enough that he’s gone all the time and I don’t ever know if he’s safe out there.” Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes and Aiba sniffed to hold them back. “If he’s in danger and there’s something we can do to save him, I have to be part of it. Even if I am just useless.”  
  
“You’re not useless,” Jun said quietly.  
  
Aiba smiled and wiped his face with the back of his hand.  
  
“Yeah, well, we’ll see.”  
  
“You’re Aiba. _Miracle Boy_ , remember? How many times did you save us with some crazy plan or manage to do something we all thought impossible? Whether or not you can fly a ship like you used to doesn’t change that. You’re going to rescue Nino, and then you’re going to come back here so we can all have a drink together just like old times.”  
  
Aiba nodded. “That would be great, wouldn’t it?” He sniffed a little but it seemed his tears had stopped. “I’ve really missed everyone.”  
  
“I know you have.” Jun held his gaze, but he didn’t say those next words that sprung unbidden to the tip of his tongue, words that he realised with an uncomfortable jolt of surprise that he meant in their entirety.  
  
_I have too._  
  


 

─────────────

  
  
  
Finishing the repairs to Sho’s ship became more challenging with the knowledge that it would be very soon flying both Sho and Aiba into direct contact with people who wanted them dead. Jun wanted to take the time to make sure everything was perfect, but it was time they didn’t have. Even with Ohno’s help, they could only get the work finished in time for Sho and Aiba to leave two days before the ransom date, and most of those two days would be needed for them to reach the set location.  
  
By the time everything was ready for them to leave, Jun was exhausted. He’d stayed up to work through the night, only taking short naps to prevent sloppiness. He knew he would never forgive himself if he made any mistakes in his haste.  
  
Aiba was the first to arrive at the workshop, brimming with his usual excitable energy. Jun was hardly in the best state to deal with him, too crabby from his lack of sleep, but he tried to fake good humour for Aiba’s sake as he buzzed around him.  
  
“Asami wasn’t all that happy when I asked her to run the bar while I was gone, but I think it’s just because she’s secretly going to miss me. I’ve been winning her over with my charm, you see? She’s totally going to agree to go out with me the next time I ask.”  
  
Jun hummed as he opened up Sho’s ship.  
  
“Want to put your stuff inside?” he asked as he climbed into the pilot’s seat. Aiba scrambled after him, hauling his bag over into the rear compartment.  
  
_Chesuto_ was something of a hybrid ship; it wasn’t really designed for living in, but it was bigger than a fighter like Aiba’s, with a small space equipped with basic necessities behind the cockpit. It would be cramped with two people, but Aiba insisted it was fine.  
  
“Wow, it really feels like old times now,” exclaimed Aiba as he settled into the passenger seat. Jun couldn’t even remember when it was they were last together in a ship like this. He knew Aiba had tried flying a few times since his accident, usually under the guidance of Ohno, but even those attempts had been a while ago now.  
  
Jun rolled the ship carefully outside. “You going to stay here and wait for Sho?” he asked once he’d stopped.  
  
“I haven’t said goodbye to Ohno yet. Do you know where he is?”  
  
“Last I saw him he was in the storage room.”  
  
Aiba climbed back out of the ship with a wave and ran off to find Ohno. Jun followed him out and walked around to the side of the ship to lean against it. He could see Sho in the distance walking towards him, bag slung over one shoulder.  
  
“Hi,” greeted Sho when he reached Jun, squinting a bit into the sun.  
  
Jun nodded in return and tossed Sho’s keys over to him. Unprepared, Sho almost dropped them, fumbling a bit before holding on.  
  
“All yours.”  
  
“Thank you. For everything. I know these past few days haven’t been the easiest for you.”  
  
Jun said nothing.  
  
Sho fidgeted where he stood, unsure of what to say next. “Um, I think I still need to pay you? I’m happy to compensate for the extra time you put into this.”  
  
“You can settle it when you return.”  
  
Sho’s eyes widened slightly. Jun licked his lips and pushed himself up to stand directly in front of Sho. His throat felt dry.  
  
“I swear to you, Sho, if you let those bastards kill you out there, I’m going to make sure to bring you back to life so I can personally hurt you myself.”  
  
Jun held Sho’s eyes in an intense stare.  
  
“I’m putting my trust in you, okay? Find Nino and come back safe.”  
  
With that, Jun made to leave, not waiting for any response. On impulse, he reached a hand out to clasp Sho’s shoulder briefly as he walked past, lightly squeezing the tense muscles there. Just as he’d almost moved away, he felt himself stopped by a hand grabbing his wrist.  
  
“Wait,” said Sho. He kept his hold on Jun’s wrist. “I know you’re not going to appreciate me saying this. But I can’t. I need to say it. I told myself I don’t want to live with any regrets anymore.”  
  
He noticed Jun’s gaze to where his hand was still clamped on Jun’s wrist and he dropped it, pulling the hand back to grasp his other arm. Sho held himself for a moment, taking a deep breath, before he raised his eyes to meet Jun’s.  
  
“I meant it that time I kissed you. I needed you to know that.”  
  
Jun froze. He felt trapped, eyes still locked with Sho’s as the sun beat down oppressively on his skin.  
  
Sho was right. Jun really didn’t appreciate him bringing up the memory Jun tried the hardest to forget, even as it plagued his thoughts regularly over the years and more now that Sho was back.  
  
As he stood there, staring at Sho, he couldn’t help from letting the memory overwhelm him in an instant. The sensation of Sho’s soft lips pressed to Jun’s; the taste of his breath, slightly bitter with the cheap alcohol they lifted from one of the crashed ships; the smell of sweat and grease and smoke. The way his face lit up in surprise at what he had done before melting away into a tentative smile. When Jun looked at Sho, he still remembered all these details clearly.  
  
He could also remember the way his own stomach had flipped at that smile, the grin that wouldn’t leave his face after Sho walked away.  
  
They never talked about the kiss before Sho left, and Jun eventually passed it off as a drunken mistake. A parting kindness to Jun, as Sho surely had to have known back then about Jun's feelings. And by the time Mao and her father were killed, it no longer mattered anymore anyway.  
  
Except that now Sho was standing in front of him telling him that it did matter. That it was more than just impulse or pity. And three years after the fact, Jun really did not know what he was supposed to do with that information.  
  
Jun wanted to scream.  
  
He looked at Sho as he stood there, beads of sweat perspiring on his forehead, full mouth chapped and slightly parted. The earnest eyes that wouldn’t look away. As much as he hated to admit it to himself, it was still the same face he onced loved. The same man he’d admired and looked up to for so many years.  
  
Jun steeled his body, feeling his face turn hard, and said the only thing he could think to.  
  
“So what?”  
  
Sho flinched. His shoulders slumped, making their usual slope even more pronounced than usual, and his eyes shuttered with disappointed resignation. It was almost satisfying for Jun to see that he could make Sho react like this. He’d had more than enough of Sho throwing him off guard; he wanted to see him be the one to struggle for once.  
  
Sho bit his lip and looked back at Jun. He looked to be on the verge of saying something, eyes widening, when they were interrupted by the sound of Aiba running and calling out to them.  
  
“Guys! I’m back!” Aiba stopped next to them and panted heavily, clutching his sides. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you wait.”  
  
“It’s fine,” said Jun. He had turned to meet Aiba as he ran up but Jun was pretty sure he could still feel Sho looking at him.  
  
“Ready to go?” Aiba asked Sho, face shining with a wide, bright smile. Jun glanced back over at Sho, who was looking at Aiba now and trying to attempt and enthusiastic smile.  
  
“Yeah,” he said.  
  
“I’m gonna miss you Matsujun.” Aiba flung himself at Jun and wrapped him into a tight hug. Jun felt himself relax a little in those strong, wiry arms and reached around to hug Aiba back. “Take care of yourself while I’m gone.”  
  
“You too. I want you back here with Nino in one piece, okay?’  
  
Aiba nodded against Jun’s shoulder and then released him. He gave another bright smile before turning back to pull Sho along with him up to the ship. Sho followed him, but not before looking back over his shoulder at Jun.  
  
Their eyes met briefly. It felt far longer.  
  
Jun stood back as they took off. Aiba waved from behind the tinted glass the whole time, just a faint outline. Jun couldn’t make out Sho from where he stood.  
  
He stayed and watched their departure the entire way, until Sho’s red ship was only a distant glint in the sky.


	2. Chapter 2

The group learned early on in the fighting that quieter times were best served scavenging. Their resources were limited after all, and only became harder to access as the conflict dragged on. No good came from trying to stick to any moral standards about stealing from the dead.  
  
They always searched in pairs. Two would fly out in the one ship, to see what was out there that could be brought back to use or sell, with the other three staying behind wherever they happened to have set up base. There was some argument at first about how safe this was, but there weren’t exactly many better alternatives. “Nothing we do is safe anymore anyway,” said Jun, with that definitive tone he got sometimes despite being the youngest of their group, and that settled the matter.  
  
Jun was usually the first of them to get restless, never happy with too much time spent idle. A day of peaceful downtime was more than enough, and then he would start poking around everyone’s business, trying to find something to do.  
  
It was one such day, in the middle of a blisteringly hot summer, when everyone seemed content to hole up away from the sun and wait for the worst of the heatwave to pass. Jun was bored out of his mind. Most of the others had disappeared somewhere, but as to where, he had no clue—being the last to wake up meant he missed out on finding out everyone’s plans for the day. Nino was the only other person left there with him in the ramshackle house they’d been using as their group’s base for the past six months.  
  
“Nino,” he whined as he entered the room where Nino was camped out on the floor, an array of disassembled weapons surrounding him. Jun flopped his body over the couch, resting his arms on the back, and stared at the side of Nino’s face drawn down in concentration as he worked.  
  
“What?” Nino didn’t bother to look up at Jun, fingers grappling with a broken valve pin.  
  
“Let’s go out.”  
  
“Out?”  
  
“Yeah. I’m bored, and we haven’t looked for anything in weeks.”  
  
“Jun, I’m busy.” He scowled, small dimples creasing his chin. “I don’t have time for your hyperactive bullshit right now. Go bother someone else.”  
  
Jun kicked the back of the couch. He thought about arguing with Nino but that would probably just be a waste of time and energy. It had been a long shot to ask in the first place. Nino hated to leave the house when he didn’t have to the most; he only occasionally dragged himself along on scavenging trips out of a sense of duty to the rest of them. It was solidly unlikely that he would cave to any prodding from Jun.  
  
Just as he was considering how much trouble the others would get him in if he went out by himself, the front door slammed open. Sho walked inside, face flushed and dripping with sweat. His sleeves were rolled up over his shoulders, and Jun’s eyes lingered a moment on the defined curves of his arms before he jumped up to greet him.  
  
“Sho! Come out with me.”  
  
Sho dropped the bag he was carrying onto the floor and wiped his forehead with the back of his arm. “Where are we going?” he asked.  
  
“Anywhere. Let’s go fly out past that old mine site, we haven’t been out that way in ages.”  
  
“Sure.” Jun smiled. That’s what he liked about Sho: he was usually ready to agree to Jun’s requests.  
  
One of the many things, in any case.  
  
“Can I take a shower first? It’s seriously hot out there, I’m probably disgusting.”  
  
“Don’t worry about it, you’re fine.” There was a soft snort from Nino and Jun thought about stepping on his foot on his way over to Sho. “C’mon, let’s just go.”  
  
Jun usually preferred to be the one flying but _Chesuto_ was bigger than his own compact fighter and they needed the storage space. They took off, cruising low over the rocky terrain below them, over the old houses fallen into disrepair since the mining site nearby closed and people abandoned them. Jun leaned back in his seat and idly kept an eye out on the horizon for any sign of wreckages on the horizon—a glint of metal shining in the sun, an oddly-shaped object sticking up from the dirt. He couldn’t help his gaze from wandering over to Sho in the pilot’s seat as he did. At the taut veins stretched across his hands as he clutched the joystick, the way the muscles shifted and rippled in his arms. It was still hot inside the cockpit and Jun could see the sweat on Sho’s neck marking tracks down his skin.  
  
Realising he’d probably hit his limit for acceptable amount of time spent staring, Jun turned his eyes back outside. It happened more and more, it seemed, that he’d find himself staring at Sho; gaze fixed on the squint of his eyes smiling into the afternoon sun, the flex of his wrists as he hauled gear around, the slight curl of his hair around the nape of his neck at the end of the day. Jun could keep a good poker face when required, but it was increasingly difficult to hide his obvious crush. Nino had obviously cottoned on, snickering at Jun lightly when Sho decided to walk around shirtless and shooting him pitying looks of disbelief every time Sho did something embarrassing.  
  
He pretended to be coolly unaffected by all of this, but that didn’t stop him from hiding Nino’s favourite underwear in retaliation when the teasing got particularly annoying.  
  
Jun had always idolised Sho. He had been different to the rest of them, who just sort of fell into the fighting because they felt like they had no other hope and no real plans beyond that. Sho had ideals. Jun always loved to listen to him talk, so passionately, about everything he believed and wanted. He watched the way Sho’s face would become drawn into seriousness and his eyes would shine with determination, and thought that he could follow this person to the ends of the galaxies.  
  
He didn’t know when his admiration turned into attraction. Like a slow burn through that unseasonably warm second winter they had spent together. It started with Jun gravitating towards Sho more, finding reasons to spend more time with him, and before he knew it, he found himself thinking about him constantly. Never quite putting those thoughts into words, but still always aware of that little seed of hope that seemed to grow every time Sho smiled at him.  
  
His eyes drifted back to Sho’s face, tracing a line the shape of his profile. Jun tried to make a study of it: the pronounced curve of his forehead, the slope of his nose rounding out at the tip, the sharp angle of his jaw. It felt like he was trying to figure out some kind of geometry puzzle. If chord AB intersects DC on circle O at E, what other variable does he need to find before he can calculate the distance from Sho’s feelings to his?  
  
Jun never liked geometry much.  
  
The sound of Sho’s voice brought him back to attention. “I think I see something.” Jun squinted through the hazy sunlight, trying to make out a shape between the rocky slopes. It looked like it could be a ship, fairly large and still mostly intact. Sho shifted their course to head towards it.  
  
As they pulled up closer, they could see the ship in better detail, all rounded edges and slate-grey metal. Not one Jun remembered seeing before but it was hard to know for sure. Most of the ships they came up against were better suited for fighting—sleeker, more aerodynamic design or sturdier reinforcements and protections. Based on the size and style of this one, Jun guessed it was some sort of small transport ship; either people or cargo, but he’d know for sure once they looked inside. If they were lucky, it would be one of the smuggler’s cargo ships. More loot, less corpses.  
  
The ship was tilted on its side, crashed against a small cliff face. It appeared to be in much better condition than Jun would have expected, as if someone had managed to keep some control to land it. Jun was glad he remembered to bring his gun with him. It was never good to be left unprepared.  
  
The foul stench that hit them when they dropped carefully through the ship’s broken windows told them the first thing they’d need to take care of. Jun grimaced and pulled his shirt up to cover his face. It didn’t matter how many dead bodies they encountered, he would never get used to it. He thought that maybe it was good he didn’t, that it was a sign he still had some of his humanity left, but he sometimes wished he could learn to become more apathetic. Then he might stop having the nightmares that woke him up at night, leaving him drenched in a cold sweat.  
  
There wasn’t sign of anyone in the bridge, so it seemed likely that whoever had piloted it had escaped somewhere else, despite the fact that it was odd that they would leave behind such a nice ship. Jun supposed that they weren’t prepared to deal with the bodies inside.  
  
He took some time to look around the bridge before moving on. It appeared equipped with some very nice tech—latest model, he was sure. Definitely a pity to abandon it. Jun tiptoed through the broken glass, feeling it slide down the slanted floor beneath his feet, to get a closer look at the ship’s controls. A key was still jammed in the ignition. He turned it, and felt a wave of excitement pass through him as the ship’s systems thrummed to life.  
  
He turned to Sho. “It’s still functional,” he said, voice muffled through the fabric of his shirt still held against his face.  
  
Sho looked over at him and Jun saw the way his eyes immediately drifted down to rest on the exposed patch of skin where Jun’s shirt had lifted above his abdomen. Jun tensed, heart caught in his throat, but when Sho looked back up he couldn’t detect anything in his expression that might give him much cause to hope.  
  
“Do you think you can take out the computers to bring back with us?” Sho said. He moved over closer to Jun, a little unsteady on his feet.  
  
“Maybe. Or—”  
  
“Or?”  
  
“We could take the whole ship.”  
  
“And do what? Sell it? You know it’s easier to move parts.”  
  
“Not sell it. _Use_ it.”  
  
Sho’s eyebrows raised, mouth parting in that way that made his bottom lip stick out fuller. “You serious?” He let out a short laugh of disbelief. “We haven’t even looked around yet and you’re already making plans to use it just because the power turned on?”  
  
“I’m not making plans yet, it’s just a suggestion.” Jun dropped the shirt from his mouth, feeling silly to still be holding it there as he spoke. The foul stench still lingered but it seemed somehow improved. “Think about it. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a ship big enough for the five of us to use? One that can sustain longer journeys? We could do so much more.”  
  
Sho’s face softened. Jun could tell when he was wearing him down. He’d gotten good at it over the years since they first met.  
  
Jun smiled. “We could call it _Arashi_.”  
  
Sho just stared at him, a helpless smile creeping across his face. “Come on,” he said, reaching out to pull at Jun’s hand. “Let’s go see what we’ve got first.” 

 

 

─────────────

  
  
  
The days following Sho and Aiba’s departure were clouded by Jun’s persistent bad mood. Even Ohno had taken to avoiding him after he snapped a few too many times over ultimately insignificant issues. Jun felt guilty over that, but not enough so to make him act any more agreeable. Not when it had been days since they were able to reach the others.  
  
That was to be expected, really. It was hard for them to receive communication signals from such long range down where they were on Jizo, and they couldn’t afford the tech that would make it more possible. Aiba had promised to try, but Jun knew he couldn’t pin his hopes on that. He had to carry the uneasiness at not knowing whether they were already on their way back with Nino safely in tow, or if they were hurt somewhere and there was no way for Jun to help. He couldn’t even start to face the possibility that they may have been killed. He wouldn't allow it.  
  
Underneath it all was the constant rehash of his last encounter with Sho. He hated that it stuck with him, distracting him, a burr stuck to the back of his mind that he couldn’t get out. _“So what?”_ he’d told Sho. And Sho had taken it as a clear rejection, a dismissal of that confession he’d for some reason thought it so important to give to Jun. Which Jun was glad of. He wasn’t interested in revisiting the past, didn’t need those old thoughts and feelings to return. Sho was not a part of his life anymore and Jun didn’t want him to be.  
  
Except.  
  
There had been another meaning to his words. Jun knew that. It was all very well for Sho bring up that kiss and say he meant it, but Jun wasn’t to know what that meant for them now. It was a piece of ancient history that had been left unacknowledged for years and they had both become different people. They couldn’t just slip into what they used to be, and whether Sho even wanted them to was still unknown to Jun.  
  
Feeling too frustrated and distracted, Jun gave up trying to continue the repairs he was supposed to be finishing, and made his way outside the hangar. He stared up at the sky, as he often seemed to lately, and hoped to see the distant speck of a ship on the horizon.  
  
As he stood there, Jun felt his something in his pocket vibrate start to vibrate insistently against his thigh. He pulled out his the communication device he kept there to see the screen flashing the name _Aiba Masaki_. He frowned as he pressed the connect button—he was sure Aiba’s device could not be calling him unless they’d arrived back already. But Jun was certain they would have headed straight for the workshop first, and there was no sign of them anywhere.  
  
“Aiba?” He pulled the screen up to his face but it remained black—no video feed. There was sound though, crackling through the speakers, and then he heard Aiba’s familiar voice.  
  
_“Jun? Jun! I’m so glad you picked up, everything’s terrible and I don’t know what to do. Sho, he’s—we need help, Jun—”_  
  
“Aiba, calm down. Tell me what’s happening? Where are you?”  
  
_“We crashed. I don’t know where, I think we’re somewhere north. It’s my fault, Jun. Sho passed out when they hit us and I had to fly us down here, but I crashed it and now I don’t know if he’s okay.”_  
  
Jun swore. “Where’s Riisa?”  
  
_“I’m not sure. We lost her somewhere and the ship’s systems are all down now, I can’t get it to work.”_  
  
“Okay, it’s okay, I’m going to come find you.” Jun started running through the hangar to get to his ship. “Just hold on. Are you injured?”  
  
_“A little but I’ll be fine. Sho’s not though. He’s still breathing and he’s conscious now but he’s badly hurt, Jun. I’ve been trying to keep him awake but I don’t know if he’s going to be okay.”_  
  
Jun jumped into his ship and slammed the controls on. He tapped anxiously at the computer panel, trying to find the right navigation settings that would allow him to track Aiba’s signal.  
  
“I’m on my way now, Aiba. Don’t worry, I’ll find you and get help. I’m going to try get through to Riisa but I’ll call you back soon.”  
  
_“Please hurry Jun.”_  
  
Jun lifted his ship off the ground and flew it through the main entrance of the hangar. His ship was always kept near the front, clear of any obstacles, so he could move it out fast in an emergency. He connected his comm device to the ship’s computer and input the commands required to locate Aiba’s device. The computer took a few agonising seconds to configure before a map flashed onto the screen, showing destination coordinates a bit over a hundred miles north of Jun.  
  
He breathed a sigh of relief and moved his ship to follow the fastest path before turning his attention to the communication panel. He called Ohno, and hoped the man would bother to answer.  
  
_“Jun?”_ Ohno’s confused face filled the small screen in front of Jun. _“Why are you calling me from your ship?”_  
  
“Aiba and Sho crash landed up north and I’m going to pick them up. Can you try get in contact with Riisa to find out what happened and where she is?” He paused for a second, rethinking his request. “Actually, can you follow me in your ship? I might need help bringing them back."  
  
Ohno nodded and cut the connection. Jun really appreciated his brevity in moments like this.  
  
Not wanting to waste time, Jun immediately switched the thrusters up as high as he could allow and angled the ship to gain a bit more height before he steadied it. Miles of barren dirt wasteland stretched out across the horizon in front of him, no buildings or people on sight. It didn’t make for the prettiest view, but it at least made Jun’s task a lot easier.  
  
He checked his ship’s systems, making sure he was still on the right path, and tried to figure out if he could bring the ship up to any more speed without causing any undue complications. It had been too long since he’d flown anything past cruising level, and though he kept his ship well-maintained, it was still an old machine. The last thing he wanted was to push it past breaking point and have two damaged ships to deal with.  
  
The screen to his right suddenly flashed with Nino’s name and Jun’s heart stopped. The overwhelming hope and disbelief that washed over him in that instant was cut brutally short when he realised it was Riisa calling from Nino’s transport ship. His computer was programmed to recognise it as Nino, a fact Jun had forgotten.  
  
He accepted the connection and was relieved to see Riisa’s face appear in front of him, looking shaken but unhurt.  
  
_“Jun! I’m so glad to see you.”_  
  
“What the hell happened? Where are you?”  
  
_“I’m on my way to you now, maybe still an hour out. We got hit with a lot of damage so we’re pretty much just drifting our way down. Those bastards are all gone now at least.”_  
  
“Ikuchi?”  
  
_“Yep. Don’t know how they followed us the whole trip through hyperspace, or if they had a few of them waiting out near here for us, but we were almost back, thinking we were clear, when they hit us again. Just a few fighters, but they managed to get a hit on Sho and Aiba before we could take care of them.”_  
  
“Aiba said he had to fly them back here because Sho got hurt. They’re alive but Sho is barely holding on. I’m on my way to them now.”  
  
_“They almost lost a wing so it’s amazing he kept enough control to land.”_ Jun’s heart beat faster hearing that, scared at the condition he would find them in. _“One of our crew members was a medic in another life so he can take care of Sho if you don’t have a good doctor in that town of yours.”_  
  
There was a doctor about fifteen miles over but he was a total crank, only good for getting cheap medicine from if you could convince him to sell you the right stuff. Anyone Riisa had would be a better option until they could get Sho to a proper hospital.  
  
“Thanks, Riisa.” Jun checked his path and position on the navigation system, and eased off some of the pressure on his main thrusters to steady into a more manageable speed. The next conversation they needed to have would be difficult if he needed to keep all his focus on flying.  
  
“Riisa, what about Nino? Did you get him?” He almost didn’t want to ask, already fearing what the answer would be.  
  
_“No.”_ Even being prepared, the simple response felt like a punch to the gut. _“They never had any intention of going through with the exchange. Our ship wasn’t even near the meeting point yet when Aiba and Sho called, frantic, to tell us they were being fired upon and to get the hell out. I wasn’t even sure if they survived until we made it back through the other side of the jump.”_  
  
Jun tore his eyes off the screen to refocus on his ship’s controls. His heart pounded as he clutched the joystick, willing his hands to keep steady.  
  
The exchange had always obviously been a trap. But knowing that didn’t make it feel any less brutally unfair that they had failed to recover Nino. The longer the time stretched since his disappearance with no contact, the more likely it became that he was not still alive. Jun didn’t want to believe that could be true.  
  
_“Jun?”_ Riisa’s voice broke back through the speakers. _“I’m going to have to let you go. I need to sort out some things with the crew.”_  
  
“I’ll see you soon. Stay safe,” said Jun. She cut the connection and the screen zipped to black.  
  
Jun took some time to calm his breathing and steel his concentration on the task at hand. His mind was full of thoughts of Nino, and what they could possibly do to save him now. Except that wasn’t helpful. Not when he had to worry about Aiba and Sho, stranded and waiting for Jun to come and help them. He pushed his ship back up to the maximum speed possible.  
  
Seeing that he wasn’t too much further out from where he needed to be, Jun decided to connect back to Aiba. A few seconds passed before he heard the answering click and the sound of Aiba’s breathing coming through the speakers.  
  
“Aiba, it’s Jun. Tell me you’re okay.”  
  
_“I’m fine, we’re fine. Well, Sho’s not, but he’s still breathing steadily and I don’t think anything is broken or bleeding too badly. He doesn’t think he can move out of the ship on his own though, and I don’t have enough strength to lift him.”_  
  
“Don’t worry, I won’t be too much longer. Riisa’s on her way too; I just talked to her.”  
  
There was a silence on the other ended that Jun assumed was Aiba nodding, forgetting that Jun had no video feed to see him.  
  
“She said—” Jun paused, hesitant, not wanting to upset Aiba further. He softened his voice into the gentlest tone he could manage. “She said you weren’t able to get Nino.” Jun wished he had video so he could look at Aiba. “It was a trap, Aiba, there was nothing you could have done. Remember that.”  
  
The silence held.  
  
_“They were on us before we even knew they were there.”_ Aiba’s voice was strained when it filtered back through the speaker. _“We didn’t even get a chance to do anything—Jun, what are we going to do? What if he’s not safe, Jun? I can’t believe we failed him, I’m so useless, I—”_  
  
“Aiba, it’s going to be okay. We’re going to get him back, I promise.”  
  
Jun could hear the rasp of Aiba’s choked breathing through the speakers and he willed his ship to move faster, stomach clenching. It wasn’t fair for Aiba to say he was useless when he had tried. Almost killed himself doing so, and seemingly saved Sho’s life as well. Whereas Jun had stayed back, done nothing, and for what? To wait for his friends to get hurt? For them to die?  
  
_“I thought we were clear once we made the jump,”_ Aiba continued. _“Don’t even know how we got to the gate without being hit. Sho was shaking the whole time, but he was amazing. He’s gotten so much better.”_  
  
“You must have done pretty amazing yourself to fly the ship all the way back here. Riisa said they almost blasted a wing off.”  
  
_“Yeah, that’s when Sho got hurt. The ship started spiralling and he tried to keep control of it but it meant he wasn’t using his hands to protect himself. After he got knocked out I had to take over. It was awful, Jun, I thought I lost him.”_  
  
“But you saved him.” Jun checked his position on the navigation panel. “I’m only a minute away now, we’ll be able to get him to help soon.”  
  
_“I’m going to sit back in the ship with Sho until you get here, but I don’t think you can miss us.”_  
  
“Don’t worry, I won’t,” promised Jun, and the connection cut.  
  
That minute felt endless as he kept his eyes glued on the horizon for any sight of the ship. He kept checking the map, paranoid that he’d flown past it somehow, but the coordinates still blinked slightly ahead of where he was.  
  
Finally, he caught sight of the familiar red metal, sticking out above one of the dunes. He forced himself to slow on approach, carefully landing his ship as close as he safely could.  
  
The ship was a wreck. Scorch marks ripped along the outside of the hull, exposing some of the metal framing underneath. The wing on the right hand side was burned badly, all twisted and coming apart. Everywhere showed marks of heavy damage, large dents and peeled paint resulting in an ugly, misshapen mess that looked as if it could crumple into nothing at any minute.  
  
Jun was out of his ship almost as soon as he could switch it off and raced over to the already open hatch. Aiba scrambled out as he approached and flung himself at Jun, clutching him tightly with one arm, face buried into Jun’s shoulder. Jun allowed a moment to return the embrace before he pulled back to get a better look at Aiba.  
  
“Your arm,” he said, eyes widening in alarm. Aiba’s left arm hung loosely at his side, clearly dislocated. The metal prosthetic below his elbow looked as if it had been crushed, and some of the parts had ripped away completely.  
  
“Ah, yeah. I kind of used it to brace myself when we were being thrown around.” Aiba tried a nervous smile.  
  
“You said you were fine.”  
  
“I am! Look, Jun, it’s not important right now. I can manage. You need to help Sho.”  
  
Jun frowned. “Let me at least help you get your shoulder back in first.” He moved to grab hold of Aiba’s arm, careful to look for any exposed wires or open wounds he needed to avoid first. “Are you okay to do this standing up or do you need to lie down?”  
  
“Should be fine. We’ve done this enough before.”  
  
Jun nodded and lifted the arm slightly. “Try to relax and tell me if the pain is too bad.”  
  
Jun pulled the arm up slowly towards Aiba’s head until he felt the joint pop back into place. Aiba breathed a deep sigh of relief and shot Jun a grateful smile. “Thanks, Jun.”  
  
“I think you should still avoid using it too much until someone can look at it properly. I’m not sure if I have any disinfectant or bandages for your cuts in the ship, but there’s a flask of water in the front.”  
  
Aiba shook his head and pushed Jun’s shoulder. “Don’t worry too much about me. Just get Sho.”  
  
Jun reluctantly let go of Aiba and moved past him to climb up the hatch. The inside of the ship looked even worse, if that was all possible, and Jun sidled his way carefully to the pilot’s seat.  
  
Sho was seated there, face ashen and clammy, hair matted with sweat. There were lines of blood around the side of his face and he was shaking. He turned his face towards Jun and swallowed quickly a few times, trying to move his mouth to form words.  
  
“Sho, it’s okay,” said Jun, and crouched next to him. He put a comforting hand gently on Sho’s shoulder and swept his eyes over his body, trying to assess the damage. His injuries weren’t immediately apparent, but Aiba said he couldn’t move on his own, and he was clearly in shock.  
  
“Jun,” rasped Sho, eyes hazy as he tried to focus on Jun’s face. Jun reached quickly for the flask he kept attached to his side and pulled it clear from his belt. He unscrewed the lid and lifted it to Sho’s mouth, tipping it slowly. Much of the water spilled down the edges of Sho’s chin and he coughed a little, not able to move his throat properly to swallow it. Jun pulled the flask away for a moment before trying again. This time it went more smoothly, and Sho drank greedily.  
  
“Can you stand?” asked Jun after Sho was finished.  
  
“I think,” he stuttered, voice still scratchy, “if you support me. My shoulder, it hurts—”  
  
“Which one?”  
  
“Right.”  
  
“Okay, let me see.” Jun moved around in front of Sho.  
  
“Behind,” Sho clarified.  
  
Jun shifted his position slightly closer to the right of Sho’s chair. “Can you lean forward for me?” he asked, keeping a raised hand ready to support Sho.  
  
Sho complied, and as he lifted his back into view, Jun could see a large gash in his uniform jacket, blood soaked through the material. He wasn’t sure what had caused it, but that amount of blood loss meant they definitely had to act fast.  
  
Jun moved himself back to Sho’s other side and resumed his crouched position. He steadied himself on his haunches, strengthening his thighs, and raised Sho’s right arm to rest on his shoulders. His own arm moved to circle around Sho’s waist, and Jun was careful to keep his hold firm but not too tight.  
  
“Okay, Sho, I want you to try lift yourself up, putting your weight on me. You tell me if anything hurts too much, alright?”  
  
Sho nodded, and Jun shifted his body straighter.  
  
“Ready? On three. One, two—”  
  
They pushed themselves up slowly, Sho’s fingers clutching hard against Jun’s shoulder. He tried to pull Sho’s body as much as possible into his own, forcing himself to stay as steady as he could. Sho shook at the exertion, and Jun was scared it would be too hard for him, but he persisted until he made it the entire way up.  
  
“That’s good,” said Jun once they were standing. Sho panted heavily against him. “We’re going to move very slowly to the hatch now. I’ll guide you there, just keep your hold on me.”  
  
It was difficult going to get to the hatch, close as it was. They had to sidle carefully through the narrow path, avoiding the objects that had been thrown around during the ship’s tumultuous descent, while keeping firmly held together.  
  
Once they made it to the edge of the hatch, Jun stopped. A steep ramp led down to the ground below them, with metal ridges along the width to act as grips. It wasn’t quite wide enough for them to make their way down abreast, and Jun wasn’t sure Sho could keep his feet steady enough to manage it. Jun frowned as he considered the best course of action.  
  
“Okay,” he said after he’d finished deliberating. “I think it’s going to be best if you hold onto my back and we move down that way. Just rest all of your weight on me and focus on your feet.” He awkwardly maneuvered their bodies into position, moving to place himself in front of Sho and pulling Sho’s good arm over his body to hold across his shoulders. He gripped Sho’s wrist with his right hand to secure him, and shuffled them across to the edge of the platform.  
  
Aiba stood on the ground below, almost tall enough to reach the hatch with the top of his head. He peered up at them with concern. “Everything okay?”  
  
“I’m going to try move us down,” replied Jun. He leaned forward as far as his balance would allow and bent his knees to adjust for Sho’s height. The weight of Sho’s body settled firmer against his back. Jun reached out a testing footstep onto the top of the ramp, holding tighter to Sho’s arm across his chest.  
  
“Let me help,” said Aiba. He stepped halfway up the ramp and reached his good arm out for Jun to take. Jun took a few cautious steps down before he gripped Aiba’s hand, using him to steady his balance as he practically carried Sho down. There was a terrifying moment where he thought they might fall, but they made it to the bottom. Aiba moved to take hold of Sho as Jun disentangled himself and turned around to face Sho.  
  
“How are you holding up?” said Jun. Sho still looked terrible but he smiled weakly. Jun turned to Aiba. “Do you think you could roll my ship around closer?” Aiba nodded and passed Sho back over into Jun’s waiting arms.  
  
He looked across the horizon and was glad to see Ohno’s ship fast approaching. It would definitely be impossible to take both Aiba and Sho in his ship, and he didn’t want to leave Aiba stranded by himself. He considered waiting for Ohno’s help to move Sho into his ship, but he didn’t want to waste more time, and so decided to try move Sho by himself.  
  
Jun’s ship was a bit different to Sho’s. It was a smaller, sleeker model that sat far closer to the ground, with the top covering of the cockpit able to open up to allow direct access. That meant they only had to step over the side panel of the ship to reach the passenger’s seat, but the height was still enough to pose a bit of a challenge.  
  
He decided the easiest thing to do would be to carry Sho over. “Hold tightly to my neck,” he murmured as Aiba pulled the ship to a stop in front of them, and he bent down to lift Sho’s legs up into his arms. It wasn’t an easy feat but he managed it, depositing Sho carefully into the seat.  
  
“Are you okay?” he asked, pulling back to look at Sho directly. Sho nodded, and Jun squeezed his shoulder lightly before glancing over at Aiba. The noise of a ship coming down for landing made him almost need to shout. “That’s Ohno who just arrived. He can take you back.”  
  
Aiba nodded and clambered out of the ship.  
  
Jun turned back to Sho. “I’m just going to let Ohno know what’s happening. Hold tight here for me a minute.” He gave a last, long look at Sho before moving away, breaking into a run as soon as he was out of the ship.  
  
Ohno jogged the last few steps to meet him halfway. “Everything okay?”  
  
“Sho needs help. Fast.”  
  
Ohno nodded. “Take him to mine. We can do what we can until better help arrives.”  
  
Jun was already moving as soon as Ohno finished speaking, eager to return to the ship as fast as possible. He was relieved to see that at least Sho hadn’t seemed to have worsened during Jun’s brief absence, but it hardly lifted any of the frantic fear coursing through him, pushing him to move faster, knowing there was no more time for delays.  
  
As he set off, he didn’t look at Sho, just wanting to focus on getting them up in the air and on their way as quickly as possible. When he finally glanced over, he could see Sho’s eyes fluttering shut, his mouth falling slack, and Jun panicked.  
  
“Hey. Sho.” He reached a hand over to clasp Sho’s leg. “Stay with me, alright? You need to keep conscious until we get you some help.”  
  
Sho made a muffled noise in response. Jun moved his hand further across Sho’s lap and turned his palm up. “Hold my hand. Don’t let go, so I know you’re still with me.”  
  
Cold, trembling fingers brushed over his own before gripping them weakly. Jun curled his own fingers up to hold them more securely, and pulled Sho’s hand slightly closer towards him. As they flew, he found himself running his thumb in a soothing gesture over the sharp knuckles of the hand in his, not willing to let go.  
  
As soon as they landed outside of Ohno’s house, Jun climbed his way over to crouch in front of Sho, checking to see if he was okay. He lightly placed a tentative, comforting hand on Sho’s thigh and reached up to brush some of the hair out of his face. Sho still looked shaken but his eyes held firmly on Jun.  
  
“Thank you, Jun,” he whispered. “I’m sorry.”  
  
“Don’t apologise.” The words felt thick in Jun’s throat. “I told you to come back safe, remember?” He heard the sounds of Ohno’s ship landing nearby. “Look, see, that’s Ohno coming now. He’s going to help me get you inside and then we’re going to take care of you.”  
  
“Nino—”  
  
“Shh, don’t worry about that right now. Everything is going to work out fine, okay? I promise.”  
  
The lie felt bitter on Jun’s tongue. Nothing felt fine, and who was he to promise anything? But he didn’t know what else he could say in that situation; he was wholly motivated by the pressing need to reassure Sho, to see him safe.  
  
With Ohno to help, it was a lot easier to move Sho. They carried him into the spare bedroom in Ohno’s house, placing him on the bed. Jun immediately moved to help Sho take his shirt off, fingers tugging clumsily at the buttons on his jacket. A firm hand on his shoulder stilled him.  
  
“Jun,” said Ohno, pulling lightly at Jun’s shoulder to tug him away. “Let me take care of this. Go help Aiba.”  
  
As much as it pained him to leave the room, Jun recognised the wisdom of following Ohno’s words. He was too worked up to be of real help to Sho right then, and Ohno always had been a lot better at taking care of injuries. He was always steady and patient with skilfull fingers, whereas Jun had a tendency to rush ahead too quickly. It was better that he leave, rather than make a mistake he would regret in his haste.  
  
Aiba was in the upstairs bathroom, seated on the edge of the tub and trying to apply bandages to the cuts on his arms. He looked up when Jun entered, with a small smile on his face but worry in his eyes. Jun walked over to sit next to him and took the bandage from Aiba’s hands before lifting Aiba’s arm to rest across his lap. This close, it didn’t look as bad as Jun had initially thought. The prosthetic was obviously no longer functioning, but at least Aiba didn’t seem to have any other major injuries.  
  
“Does it hurt?” he asked.  
  
Aiba shook his head. “Can’t really feel much.”  
  
“You’re going to have to get it fixed.”  
  
“Probably have to head into the capital for that. I have some money saved up.”  
  
Jun nodded slowly as he moved look at Aiba’s other arm. “Riisa said she has a medic on the crew. He can take a look at it when he gets here, I’m sure.”  
  
He froze in the middle of smoothing a bandage into place on a small abrasion near Aiba’s shoulder. “I forgot about telling Riisa where we were going. She’s going to think we’re at the workshop.” His free hand immediately went to his pocket in search for his comm before he remembered that he left it in his ship.  
  
Aiba reached his good hand out to rest on Jun’s arm. “Don’t worry, I’m sure she’s tracking your location.”  
  
As if Aiba’s words summoned her, it was not long before they heard the sounds of a ship arriving outside the house. Jun twitched at the noise, itching to run outside, but he kept his attention on examining Aiba for any further injuries.  
  
“Go,” said Aiba. “You’ve helped me enough, I can take care of the rest. Someone needs to meet Riisa and her crew.”  
  
Jun nodded gratefully and headed back downstairs. He met Ohno on his way, emerging from the room that Sho was in.  
  
“How is he?” Jun asked.  
  
“Better. I think there’s something dislodged in his shoulder that I don’t want to touch. Need to let a doctor take care of it.”  
  
“There’s one in Riisa’s crew. That should be them now.”  
  
“Okay,” he said, and followed Jun outside. The large transport ship that Jun recognised as belonging to Nino’s company was already stationed there. Several crew members, some of whom he vaguely knew, were walking down the ramp that stretched from the open ship to the ground, shielding their eyes from the harsh afternoon sun. Though she was smaller than everyone else, Riisa stood out from among them, with her faded hair twisted up into two thin braids and a pair of her trademark circular sunglasses resting on her face. She smiled as soon as she noticed Jun and Ohno, and hurried her way over to them.  
  
“It’s good to see you both finally,” she said once she’d reached them, pushing her sunglasses off her face. “How are Sho and Aiba?”  
  
“Not the worst they’ve ever been,” answered Jun. “But not great either. Sho’s in more trouble right now but Aiba could do with someone to look at his arm.”  
  
“I’ll get my man on it then.” Riisa turned and looked searchingly at the crew members milling about chatting some way behind them. “Toma!” she called, gesturing at one of them, and a man ran over to join them. He held a large container in one hand that Jun supposed held his medical supplies.  
  
“Sho and Aiba are inside the house,” Riisa said to the man as soon as he reached them.  
  
“I’ll take you to Sho’s room,” said Ohno, and they headed into the house together, leaving Riisa and Jun alone.  
  
“How are you holding up, Jun?” Riisa’s soft voice was full of concern and she smiled sympathetically. “No offence, but you look terrible.”  
  
Jun realised that he must, filthy with sweat and dirt and probably some blood too. He looked down at his hands and saw thick, dark lines of grime under his fingernails.  
  
“Why don’t you come onto our ship and take a shower? Maybe eat something? It’s probably better to let Toma do his thing for a little while anyway.”  
  
Jun shot a longing look back at Ohno’s house, but he nodded, and allowed himself to be led onto Riisa’s ship. All of his earlier adrenaline had faded, leaving him feeling weary and sticky. The thought of a long, hot shower suddenly seemed very appealing. 

 

 

─────────────

  
  
  
He tried to stretch out the time he spent on Riisa’s ship, languishing in the shower until the water ran cold and talking to the crew members about the damage to their ship as he ate. He knew that if he went back too soon, he would just end up hovering and interfering needlessly. And there was definitely a part of him that needed the break. Needed to calm down and cool his head after such a frantic disaster of a day. But still, it itched at him intensely, the desire to go back and try help fix things. To alleviate the sick feeling of worry he felt at the pit of the stomach.  
  
By the time he let himself walk back to Ohno’s, night had fallen. Ohno and Toma were sitting at the table, plates holding the remnants of their dinner between them. They looked up at Jun as he entered the room with tired smiles on their faces, and he nodded in greeting.  
  
“How is Sho?” Jun asked as he walked up to them. “And Aiba?”  
  
“Good,” replied Toma. He looked exhausted, dark circles casting shadows under his eyes, but his smile was warm. “Aiba’s arm wasn’t too bad. Ohno helped me take care of some of the more dangerous bits of broken metal and wiring, and I stitched up what I could, but he’s going to need someone with more expertise in prosthetics to fix it so he can get proper functionality back. He went home for the night.”  
  
“And Sho?”  
  
“He’s resting now. The wound on his back was pretty deep—must have gotten struck by something when the blast hit their ship. Plenty of bruising and a sprained wrist, but no internal bleeding or major trauma from his head injuries which is good.” Toma sighed. “If I had some of the better medical tech out there I’d be able to do a lot more to help him heal faster. As it is, can only really wait. But he’ll be okay.”  
  
Jun nodded. He bit his lip, worrying the skin there, and shot a quick glance at the door that led to the room Sho was in. It was firmly shut, no light filtering out from underneath.  
  
“Toma,” said Ohno, “come with me. I’ll show you the upstairs bathroom so you can shower. I should have some extra blankets so you can stay here tonight in case Sho needs you.”  
  
“Thank you,” replied Toma with another genuine smile. He rose from his chair and picked up his dirty plate to carry with him to the kitchen.  
  
Jun moved to stop him. “Let me,” he said, taking the plate from Toma’s hands. “I’ll clear up. You go figure out your sleeping arrangements for the night.” He turned away from Toma before he could offer any protest.  
  
Jun put the plate down next to the sink in the kitchen and looked up. Ohno was staring at him with an unreadable expression on his face. He gave a single nod and turned away, moving to lead Toma to the bathroom. Jun could hear the sounds of their feet padding lightly up the stairs.  
  
There was silence. Jun cleared the dishes off the table, heartbeat strangely rapid as he rinsed them off in the sink. He turned the tap off and stilled. Ohno and Toma were still upstairs. Jun wiped his hands against his pants and looked over past the dining area, eyes drawn to the closed door on the other side of the room.  
  
His movements were slow as he walked towards it, each step soft and deliberate to keep the floorboards from creaking. Jun stopped before the door and raised a hand to the doorknob.  
  
He opened the door to Sho’s room quietly, trying to make as little noise as possible as he walked inside. Sho lay asleep on the bed, turned on his side towards Jun so that Jun was able to see the way his face twitched as the outside light hit him before relaxing back into a peaceful expression, soft mouth slack and slightly parted. Jun quickly closed the door behind him, engulfing the room in darkness once more. He suddenly felt very foolish standing there in the dark room with nothing much to do but stare at Sho’s unconscious form in front of him.  
  
Jun leaned his head back to rest against the door and closed his eyes.  
  
The raspy murmur of Sho’s voice broke Jun out of his thoughts. “Jun?” Sho whispered. Jun opened his eyes and waited a few seconds for his vision to adjust until he could make out the faint outline of Sho’s face, his eyes open and looking back at Jun.  
  
Jun froze, totally unsure of how he was supposed to explain his presence. He decided it was safer to turn focus onto Sho before he could ask him why he was there.  
  
“You should be asleep,” said Jun, keeping his voice low.  
  
“I was thirsty.”  
  
“I’ll go get you some water.” Jun reached for the doorknob, glad for the opportunity to escape.  
  
“Wait. I have a glass here already.” Jun could vaguely make out its shape on the side table next to Sho. “Just hold on a second, please?” The sheets rustled and Sho pushed himself up on the bed. Seated that way, the moonlight shone stronger on his face, casting eerie shadows across it. Jun let his hand fall from the doorknob and waited for Sho.  
  
“Thank you. For today. You really saved us”  
  
“I wasn’t going to leave you out there. I told you I wanted you to come back safe.”  
  
“With Nino.” Sho’s voice lowered to the barest whisper. “You told me to come back safe with Nino and I failed. I’m sorry, Jun.”  
  
Jun swallowed thickly. “It’s not your fault. It was a trap, Sho, there was nothing you could have done.”  
  
“Shouldn’t have rushed in like that. Should have taken more time to come up with a better plan. Now we’ve lost time and it’s just going to be harder to get Nino back.”  
  
“You’re already thinking about that?”  
  
“Of course.”  
  
“You need to rest, Sho. You’re injured, your ship is in shambles, we have no idea where Nino is.”  
  
“I don’t need to rest, I need to save Nino. My injuries will heal and I’ll get another ship if I have to.” Sho’s voice grew quieter. “I thought you would understand that.”  
  
Those words hurt Jun to hear. The entire conversation was throwing him off; he wasn’t used to being the hesitant one, the one who had to warn Sho of all people to be more cautious. “It’s not like you to be this rash,” he said, frustration mounting in his voice.  
  
“Maybe I’ve changed. Maybe we both have.”  
  
Jun leaned his head back on the door. The stillness in the room felt like pinpricks against his skin, and the darkness cloaked him in a suffocating embrace. He hoped, at least, that it masked his expression from Sho.  
  
“You’re a fool.” The words left Jun’s mouth as little more than a soft whisper, barely above a breath, but they were still audible enough to pierce through the silence in the room.  
  
“Yeah.” Sho kept his gaze on Jun and Jun willed himself to look away but he couldn’t. “But I think I’ve been a bigger fool before.”  
  
Jun swallowed, eyes still locked with Sho’s for a moment before he turned and grabbed the doorknob, exiting the dark room for the harsh light outside.  
  
Ohno was there in the living room when Jun walked out, standing near the couch with a stack of blankets in his arms. He looked at Jun, eyebrows raised slightly and Jun cleared his throat, looking away. Jun moved past Ohno, eyes down as he reached the front door, and left, not saying a word.

 

 

─────────────

  
  
  
Jun threw himself into his work the next day. He gave up on his fitful sleep early in the morning and headed straight for the workshop, the faint dawn light casting a soft glow over his path as he walked. He briefly considered his ship, remembering the blood stains that needed to be cleaned off the passenger’s seat, before he decided that could wait a bit longer. He wanted to keep his mind occupied on something that wouldn’t remind him of all the events of the previous day.  
  
That was easier said than done. There were only two ships to work on, and Jun got through all the repairs he could do on them at that moment before Ohno even arrived for the day. He ended up hauling all their lesser used equipment out from the storage room, spreading it all over an empty section of the workshop to undergo some overdue maintenance and inventory.  
  
That’s how Ohno found him, sitting on the floor surrounded by an organised mess of tools and boxes. “You okay, Jun?” he asked, crouching down next to him.  
  
Jun grunted as he wiped clean the gears of an impact wrench.  
  
“Sho seems better this morning. Toma did a good job patching him up. Doesn’t look like he needs to go to a hospital for further surgery.”  
  
Jun fixed the wrench back together and placed it down with the other tools he’d already checked. He grabbed an air ratchet next, one that he was sure was probably too old and worn not to simply throw away.  
  
“He said he wants to go after Nino again as soon as he can.” Jun sniffed and kept his head down. “I think you should go with him. If that’s what you want.”  
  
Jun stilled, and raised his eyes up to meet Ohno’s gaze. “If that’s what I want?” Ohno just looked at him and said nothing. The moment stretched on for too long, silence becoming unbearable.  
  
“I can’t.”  
  
“Yes you can.”  
  
Jun sighed and put the air ratchet back on the ground, ran a hand through his hair. “I need to be here. I need to run the shop.”  
  
Ohno shook his head. “No you don’t.”  
  
They stared at each other, Ohno’s soft eyes locked with Jun’s fierce ones. Jun looked away first. He could feel Ohno’s gaze still on him for a few more seconds before he pushed himself up out of his crouch to stand. “Think about it, Jun. What you really want to do.” He walked away, disappearing from the periphery of Jun’s vision.  
  
Jun thought about it.  
  
He thought about it when he cleaned the interior of his ship, scrubbing the blood stains out of the passenger’s seat with the knowledge that it was Sho’s blood, the memory of him sitting there shaking, his hand clasped to Jun’s. He thought about it when he lay in bed that night, the image of Sho’s face cast by moonlight etched in his skull, his worries about Nino creeping along his skin, making it impossible to find sleep. He thought about it when he woke up the next morning, body heavy with the understanding that he lacked the time to dither any further.  
  
He made a decision.  
  
As soon as he was ready, he went straight for his ship where it was still stationed outside the hangar. Jun climbed into the cockpit and spared a brief glance for the now-pristine passenger seat as he set off, flying low under the harsh morning sun.  
  
Sho was the one to greet him when he knocked on Ohno’s front door, face still a little worn but looking brighter.  
  
Jun frowned. “Shouldn’t you be resting?”  
  
Sho shrugged, and that was at least a good sign if he could move his shoulders so easily without stiffening up in pain. “I walked around a bit yesterday and was fine. There’s not too much pain. And I’d rather be up than spend all my time cooped in that room.”  
  
Jun looked at him, a small frown on his lips. “Okay then,” he said finally. “Come with me.” Jun turned and walked back to his ship, the sound of the door closing behind him as Sho followed.  
  
“Where are we going?” asked Sho as he climbed into the ship after Jun.  
  
“You’ll see.”  
  
Jun flew them past the outskirts of town and landed the ship in front of a large, metal shed. “We didn’t have space at the workshop,” he said to Sho as they climbed out of the ship and walked over to the entrance. “Too expensive to expand our hangar and Okada let me use this place for cheap.”  
  
He punched a code into the keypad on the far side and the front entrance rolled open to reveal a ship, slate-grey and rounded edges. Sho turned his face to look at Jun, eyes wide.  
  
“You kept Arashi.”  
  
Jun shrugged. “Of course.”  
  
Sho walked closer to the ship, reached out to touch the slightly faded markings of the symbol they painted on the side. A wistful smile flashed across his face. He turned back to Jun. “Why did you bring me here?”  
  
Jun leaned against the side of the hangar’s entrance, crossed his arms over his chest. “You’re going to need a new ship if you want to go anywhere. _Chesuto_ will take too long to fix.”  
  
“You’re going to let me take _Arashi_?” Sho’s eyes were wide as he looked at Jun.  
  
“No,” said Jun. “ _We_ are going to take _Arashi_. I’m coming with you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly late, because I felt bad about posting a chapter on Nino's birthday when it doesn't even contain him, oops. Happy Belated Birthday in any case babe <3 I promise to plan my fics better next year.


	3. Chapter 3

  
  
Sho insisted on going to talk to Riisa as soon as possible. Realistically, there was not much they could do effectively just the two of them, and although neither of them wanted to drag Riisa or the rest of Nino's crew into more danger, they needed the help. Fortunately for Jun, she was away somewhere that morning, so he was able to convince Sho to go back to bed and get more rest. Sho put up a good front, but Jun didn’t miss the frequent crease of his brow or the shortness of his breath when he insisted on walking around too much.  
  
Jun took the time to make a thorough inspection of _Arashi_. It was still a great ship, even after years of hard use, and Jun tried to keep it maintained despite not using it anymore, but that didn’t mean it was ready fly them off into probable danger across the solar system.  
  
He was in the middle of running a scan on the ship’s internal systems when he received a call from Riisa.  
  
_“Jun.”_ Riisa’s expression was warm, if a little confused. _“Sho tells me you guys need to talk to me about going after Nino. Sorry I was gone this morning, I only just arrived back from a meeting.”_  
  
Jun rolled his eyes. Trust Sho to have pounced on Riisa as soon as possible, unable to just stay put and rest for a minute longer than he needed to.  
  
_“Where are you? I’m just heading back to put some stuff on the ship. Sho said he’d meet me there.”_  
  
“I’m not far. I just need to finish up a couple of things quickly but I can be there in twenty.”  
  
_“Take your time. I already told Sho I’d put him back out of commission myself if I see him before I get a chance to have a proper shower.”_  
  
Jun smiled. “So, two hours then?”  
  
Riisa rolled her eyes. _“Forty minutes,”_ she said, and cut the connection. Jun gave a small, mock salute to the black screen and went back to his work.

 

 

─────────────

  
  
  
Sho was already there when Jun arrived, chatting with Riisa in front of her ship. Truthfully, he did look much improved, with a large smile on his face that shined brightly under the afternoon sun. It frustrated Jun how much his body still reacted when that smile turned towards him, breath catching for a moment before he could remind himself he no longer wanted Sho to look at him that way.  
  
Riisa noticed him first and flashed him a warm smile that caused Sho to turn his head to look at Jun. Their eyes locked for a second before Jun’s gaze slid away, greeting the pair with a short wordless nod.  
  
“Don’t start,” said Sho, apparently reading some look of disapproval into Jun’s face. “I feel fine.”  
  
Jun wasn’t convinced but he just looked at Sho and said nothing.  
  
“We’re going to go inside the ship and sit away from this sun anyway,” said Riisa, and she turned to head for the ship’s ramp.  
  
She led them through the ship’s lower decks to a closed room away from the rest of the crew. Inside was a stately desk at the far end, two sofas lining the walls before it, and a small, low table in between. Jun knew this room. Nino liked to use it to conduct meetings with clients when he felt the need to impress. Once when Jun was visiting Nino, a buyer came to complain about prices, and he made Jun sit behind the desk while he stayed in his position on the couch. It amused Nino to see the unwitting buyer yell at Jun for ripping him off, not actually being aware that he had the wrong person.  
  
Sho took a seat right next to that spot on the sofa where Nino had sat, and Jun looked at the empty space for a second before he settled onto the other sofa, facing Sho. Riisa chose to prop herself up onto the flat surface of the desk; a neutral position between them.  
  
She crossed her ankles in front of her and leaned forward to look at them. “So. You want to try rescue Nino from the Ikuchi.”  
  
Both men gave a short, wordless nod.  
  
“I’ve been floating out the name Sho gave me. The one he got from those government files: the suspected leader of Ikuchi. Been getting info in dribs and drabs—people can be so damn cagey sometimes. Someone needs to teach them the value of sharing.” Jun snorted. She was one to talk. “Anyway, I finally got something good. Or not good from our perspective. Seems this guy was a fairly notorious up-and-comer in the Umibozu syndicate. Before you guys shot down his ship, killing most of his crew and blinding him in one eye. He’s pretty determined to see you pay for it one day—been lying low while the Ikuchi gets established till now but apparently he’s decided he’s ready to exact some revenge.”  
  
She sighed and tucked a piece of hair behind her ears, rubbing the nape of her neck. “I don’t want to say it, but there’s a good chance he wouldn’t have seen fit to keep Nino alive.”  
  
“We still have to try to rescue him.” Sho’s voice was sharp. “If there’s any chance… we have to. And if he’s dead, I owe those responsible some revenge of my own. I don’t care if you don’t come with me, but I’m going.”  
  
“Hey, I never said I wouldn’t.” Riisa frowned, brow creased in frustration. “If it weren’t for Nino giving me a chance I’d be stuck working as a stewardess on some pleasure cruiser for bored rich people. Nino saved me from that, and I’m always going to owe him a debt, so you can count on me.” Her face softened and she tried to flash Sho a small, sympathetic smile. “I just want everyone to be prepared, okay?”  
  
They fell into stilted silence. Sho’s hands were shaking, and whether it was from the strain of his injuries or the anger he felt, Jun wasn’t sure. He wondered if he should be feeling more angry, but even understanding the truth of what they were saying, it wasn’t quite real to him. He couldn’t believe they might risk their lives so dangerously without coming out with Nino, alive and safe, at the other end.  
  
Denial, perhaps, but Jun needed to cling to the hope, however small, to get through this.  
  
“Do you have any ideas for how we’re going to pull this off?”  
  
“I know someone,” Riisa said slowly. “An acquaintance of Nino’s. He’s an inventor of sorts—develops all kinds of experimental tech and weaponry. Mostly for personal interest but he’s willing to sell to those who know how to contact him.” She paused. “He’s a little off-grid. The tech he builds isn’t exactly up to government approved standards.”  
  
“You mean it’s illegal,” Jun said flatly.  
  
“He’s not a criminal. Some of his inventions are just beyond the scope of commonly understood limitations in technological development.” Jun raised his eyebrows. That sounded a lot like Nino-speak. “Nino doesn’t trade with him but he likes to check out what he’s working on when he can. Says it’s genius.”  
  
Sho looked at Riisa, a contemplative frown on his face. “So you think he could sell us something that will even our odds? Give us a better shot at breaking Nino out of wherever he’s imprisoned?”  
  
Riisa nodded.  
  
“Then we should meet with this guy.”  
  
Jun’s eyes widened and he turned to Sho. “You can’t be serious. It’s still illegal tech, Sho, the government will have your ass if they find out.”  
  
Sho let out a short bark of laughter. “You think I still have a job with them?” Jun frowned. “I took an unexplained leave of absence and then hacked into their servers to get at protected information. If I’m lucky, they won’t notice the breach and I won’t have to worry about being arrested, but I definitely won’t be able to get my job back.”  
  
Jun was silent. He looked at Sho, who kept his face light with a rueful smile, but he wouldn’t quite meet Jun’s eyes.  
  
“You chose to throw away your job for Nino?” Jun didn’t mean for the hint of incredulity that slipped into the question.  
  
“Of course.” Sho turned away. His voice was quiet, strained, when he spoke. “You were all always more important than any job.”  
  
Jun’s throat tightened at the words. Sho still wouldn’t look at him; he just stared down at the ground in front of his feet.  
  
Riisa cleared her throat, breaking the awkward silence. “So we’re agreed then? We’ll see what this guy can sell us to help rescue Nino?”  
  
It still seemed hardly ideal to Jun to have to rely on some crackpot inventor who may or may not sell them something that would land them directly in prison, but he was outnumbered.  
  
“If you think it will really help. Where is he?”  
  
“Kuraokami.” Jun winced. He’d never been to Kuraokami but it was one of the more isolated planets, further away than he would prefer. “I’d say it would take near four days to get there and probably another two to get to the Ikuchi. But that depends on where we think Nino’s likely to be and where they’ve moved to.”  
  
So it would take at least six days, probably more, to get to Nino. Six days to add to the twelve he’d already been held captive, and they had no idea whether or not he’s even still being held alive. Or whether they’d be able to rescue him at all.  
  
It was far from a great situation but Jun didn’t know what else they could do.  
  
Sho stood. “So we should get moving then.”  
  
“You’re still injured,” Jun pointed out.  
  
“I’ll be fine.” Sho’s face was hard, his eyes determined. “I’ve rested long enough, and I have the entire journey there to recover. We don’t have time to waste sitting around waiting for minor wounds to heal.”  
  
Jun wanted to remind Sho that his injuries were hardly minor but he kept silent. They could argue all day and he knew Sho would never back down. That stubborn streak still clearly stuck with him.  
  
“That’s settled then,” said Riisa. She pulled out a small tablet from her pocket and started tapping at it as she spoke. “I think it would be best if you two are the ones to go to Kuraokami. I’ve been trying to reach all my sources to gather intel on these Ikuchi bastards and their movements so I need to tie up some loose ends with that first. We’re going to need all the info we can get if we want to have a fighting chance.”  
  
“And our plan for how to get Nino?”  
  
“Well, obviously we can’t just blast our way through, and they don’t seem open to negotiations. I’ve been sending out some feelers to see if any of my contacts can get us a meeting with the Ikuchi under the guise of selling to them. Once we actually get onto the ship that holds Nino then we can take a more aggressive approach.” She paused, frowning at her tablet. “They know our ships now so we’re going to have to secure another one to use if we want to make the pretense work. I’ll see what I can do about that.”  
  
“Will Sho and I join back up with you then? After we meet with this guy?”  
  
Riisa tilted her head, pouting her bottom lip slightly as she considered this. “I think we should figure that out later, after we have a better idea of what means we have to get our way onto the ship. It might be better if you two try find another way in. I think, like Sho said, for now we should get going so not to waste anymore time.”  
  
Jun nodded. “I can finish getting our ship ready tonight. We can leave in the morning.”  
  
“Tonight,” said Sho. “If everything is ready tonight then we should leave tonight. No point sleeping here when we can just sleep on the ship.”  
  
Jun stared at him, meeting Sho’s fiercely determined gaze. Jun narrowed his eyes, but Sho didn’t back down.  
  
“Fine,” he said. “But only if I’m convinced that _Arashi_ is in perfect condition to fly out. You go back to Ohno’s and rest until I’m done. And talk to Toma, get anything you might need to take care of your injuries while we’re gone.”  
  
Sho nodded slightly and said nothing.  
  
Riisa looked between them. “So that’s settled then? Everything good now?”  
  
“Yeah,” said Jun, eyes still locked with Sho’s. “We’re all good.”  


 

 

─────────────

  
  
  
If there was one thing Jun failed to account for, it was just how long the days would feel stuck on _Arashi_ with little to do.  
  
They had a set course that would be followed by the ship’s own navigational system, so there was little actual piloting to do for those first four days unless they happened upon any unexpected disturbances. Jun still checked the systems and the flight path regularly, but that never took much time and soon became boring in itself. He was not used to having so much idle time, not since starting the repair business with Ohno, and it made him restless.  
  
It was easier when the five of them had flown together; then, there was never much want for something to do or someone to talk to. Aiba was always ready with a new game or plan or experiment when the boredom threatened to overcome them. It got annoying at times, but Jun really missed Aiba now. Less hostile towards Sho as he may have become, Jun still did not feel entirely comfortable being around him constantly.  
  
Sho, on the other hand, seemed better prepared for the long journey. He always had his tablet computer out, reading or writing something on it as he sat in the central compartment of the ship. Initially Jun did not want to spend his time in the same room as Sho, but _Arashi_ wasn’t a particularly large ship, and so there was not really anywhere else to go unless he kept holed up on the bridge or in one of the cramped bedrooms.  
  
The bedrooms had been another problem. _Arashi_ only had two, and in the old days they always shared, with Sho and Jun in one room together. Technically, Jun had drawn the short straw on room assignments—he was considered to be the unlucky member who had to deal with Sho’s snoring. But although he’d outwardly complained, secretly he’d always been pleased about it. They used to stay up talking late into night as they lay in their beds, and Jun liked that they shared those intimate moments together, just the two of them.  
  
Sometimes he still missed those times. He wondered if Sho did too.  
  
When they first settled in for their journey to rescue Nino, Jun had gone to his old room only to find Sho already there unpacking his things. Both of them had immediately frozen; Sho clutching his shirts and Jun pressed to the doorway, hand still clutched to doorknob. They’d stared awkwardly at each other, neither hardly moving even to breathe, before Jun muttered a short apology and departed for the other room. It felt strange in there. Though the beds were identical to the ones in his old room, Jun found he couldn’t feel comfortable in them.  
  
On the morning of the second day, Jun woke early from an unpleasant night of troubled sleep. Faced with the thought of another painfully endless, boring day and his already cranky mood, he decided what he needed was to exercise. There was no gym equipment and minimal space aboard, but he could at least do a basic routine that would keep his mind occupied.  
  
Sho was already there when Jun walked downstairs into the main room, and gave him a cheerful greeting that Jun returned with a brusque grunt. It was far too early for Jun to pretend anything close to pleasantness, but Sho didn’t seem to mind. He was sitting at the table in the dining area to the south of the room, a pot of coffee next to him as he scrolled through his tablet. Jun eyed the coffee with interest before dismissing it. Better to save it for later.  
  
The main interior of _Arashi_ was circular by design. A raised iron platform ran from the entrance to the bridge along one side of the ship’s wall, past the stairway that led upstairs, before widening out into a block that located the small kitchen and dining area. A short drop to the centre of the room made their living area: an old threadbare couch, a leather armchair, one small table, and a strange, multicoloured rug that Ohno patched together one day out scrap bits of material he found lying around. There wasn’t really a lot of floor space around unless Jun felt like moving furniture out of the way. Instead, he decided that the space on the platform just beside the stairs would be suitable enough, and he settled onto the cold floor.  
  
Small noises from the other side of the room pricked at Jun’s concentration every now and then but he was otherwise unaware of Sho, positioned as he was to face away from him. He moved through his stretches and into a set of push ups, keeping a silent count as he cycled through them. The room was cold but beads of sweat began to pearl at his forehead, dripping down the nape of his neck as he intensified the workout. His face was slick by the time he finished, and Jun sat up to reach for the small towel he’d brought with him so that he could wipe himself off.  
  
Sho was staring at him when he sat up.  
  
He looked back down the instant he realised Jun had seen him, but the way he bit his lip and kept his shoulders pulled up, whole body tense, made it obvious that he’d been looking for some time and Jun had caught him.  
  
Jun slowly moved the towel over his face and kept his eyes on Sho. His mind raced, still thrumming with adrenaline. That seemed to answer his question about whether Sho still felt attracted to him, at least on a physical level. Feelings were another matter. Jun wasn’t sure what to think or how to react. It was too confusing to be around Sho and have old thoughts and memories resurface, gradually overcoming the hurt he felt.  
  
It seemed to Jun that he no longer knew what he wanted anymore.  
  
Jun sighed and stood up, breaking his gaze away from Sho. He headed to the bathroom and hoped a shower would help cool his head, but he found that the scalding water wasn’t enough to wash away the dangerous thoughts running through his mind.  
  
The tables turned on Jun later that afternoon. He was stretched out on the couch, relaxed now the room was blessedly free from Sho. Jun had spent most of his day on the bridge, checking the ship’s systems and trying to get in touch with Riisa and Aiba. He finally had to come out to eat, navigating his way around the kitchen area in silence. The awkward tension was apparently too much for Sho to bear because he excused himself soon after.  
  
Feeling exhaustion creeping through his body, Jun let his eyes fall closed, and he began to drift into sleep.  
  
He was interrupted by the sound of Sho’s voice calling him.  
  
“Jun?”  
  
He opened his eyes and looked up. Sho stood in front of him, still fresh from his shower, with just a towel wrapped around his waist. Wet hair was pushed back messily from his forehead, sending little trails of water down the sides of his face. Jun’s eyes caught on the droplets that glistened over Sho’s collarbones, little decorative gems that begged to be stolen away by a finger (or maybe a tongue).  
  
He snapped his mouth shut and smoothed his face back into an impassive expression.  
  
“I think one of the stitches on my back broke,” said Sho, his face drawn into a sort of nervous hesitancy. “Can you check it for me? I couldn’t get a good look at it in the mirror.”  
  
Jun sat up and wordlessly indicated for Sho to join him on the couch. Sho shuffled over and awkwardly perched on the edge of the cushion, turning his back to face Jun. The ugly red marks of a wound stretched across Sho’s right shoulder blade, a stark contrast to the smooth, tanned skin of his back. Jun shifted himself closer to Sho and placed a hand next to the wound to steady himself as he leaned in for a better look.  
  
This close, Jun could feel the warmth that radiated from Sho’s body, see the subtle rise and fall of his shoulders as he breathed. The fresh clean scent from his shower filled Jun’s nostrils, but there was something else there underneath. A subtle smokiness that pricked at his memories.  
  
Jun forced himself to regain focus and moved his attention back to the injury on Sho’s back. Blood pearled at the centre of the wound and the area around it looked inflamed. He peered closer to look critically at the stitches.  
  
“I think it’s okay, but it looks like it’s starting to get infected,” he said finally, removing his hand from Sho. “Let me just get the supplies so I can dress it.”  
  
Jun came back with the kit and sat down again behind Sho. He applied antibiotic ointment to wound and attached a clean dressing over it, carefully attaching it to the skin with tape.  
  
“Thank you,” said Sho once Jun was done, and stood up. Jun suddenly found himself with an eyeful of Sho’s towel-clad ass, the soft, white material doing little to disguise the shape of it’s curve.  
  
He swallowed thickly.  
  
Sho turned around and that was hardly better. Jun forced his gaze up to Sho’s face before he could let his thoughts wander further to breach even more dangerous territory. He saw Sho’s eyes widen slightly in surprise, and Jun knew he had not done as good a job at masking his expression as he’d hoped.  
  
Jun pushed himself off the couch abruptly and brushed past Sho to leave the room, heat flaring under his skin at the unavoidable touch of Sho’s warm, bare skin.  
  
The lingering smell of smoke and fresh soap followed him as he went.  


 

 

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Feeling humiliated by his loss of control, the next morning Jun threw himself into his workout routine with full intensity. Sho sat at the table across the room from him again, but Jun kept a pretense of ignoring him. As his workout progressed, it became less about actually exercising his muscles, and more about contorting his body into the positions he knew would best show them off, flexing the lean muscles of his back as he extended his limbs fully. He wanted Sho to feel just as frustrated as he did.  
  
When he finished, he looked over at Sho, but his head was down, focused on the tablet in front of him. Jun sat up slowly, still staring at Sho as he toweled himself off. Too keyed up on adrenaline and frustration he made an impulse move and stripped his shirt off, moving the fabric to wipe his chest as if it was just a natural, unconscious habit. He kept his eyes sharp on Sho for any reaction but the man seemed determined to wait for Jun to leave the room.  
  
He wasn’t going to have it that easy.  
  
Jun pushed himself onto his feet and walked over to Sho. As he approached he could see Sho squirm slightly at the sound of his footsteps moving closer, his shoulders drawing tighter at every thud that echoed across the metal flooring in the quiet room. He stopped right next to Sho, crossing his arms against his chest, and just waited for Sho in silent amusement.  
  
Finally, Sho looked up at him, and Jun couldn’t help but allow a small smirk at the way he attempted an expression of casual surprise, all wide eyes and an unnaturally relaxed mouth.  
  
“Something the matter?” Sho’s voice was too high-pitched and he couldn’t quite hold eye contact with Jun, eyes flickering away after every second blink.  
  
“Your back,” said Jun. “I should check it again. Gotta keep an eye on the wound to make sure it’s all healing nicely.” He waved a hand at Sho, gesturing for him to turn around on his chair. “Come on.”  
  
Sho swallowed and pushed his chair out from the table so he could turn his back to Jun.  
  
“I can’t look properly if you keep your shirt on.”  
  
The tips of Sho’s ears reddened and he tugged his shirt off, keeping it bundled in his hands in front of his body. Jun smiled. It was certainly easier to be this close to Sho when he was the one in control. He took the chance to look openly at the smooth lines of Sho’s back, the slight dimpling of his skin around the shoulder blades where he kept his muscles taut. There was a shallow graze on his left hip; mottled bruising colouring the skin purple and yellow. Jun grazed his fingertips over the very edges of the marks.  
  
“Does it hurt?”  
  
Sho tensed at the touch but shook his head. Jun kept his fingers where they were and let his eyes drift over to where Sho’s shoulder was still covered by the bandage he had applied the day before. Jun cursed himself for not thinking this through. He was still dirty with sweat, and the box with clean dressings and ointment was stored away in the cupboard under the kitchen sink—he couldn’t exactly look at Sho’s wound like he claimed he needed to do without also changing the dressing.  
  
Jun moved his hand up to press against Sho’s arm. “Just wait here for me a second.”  
  
Sho mercifully did not question him on it and Jun moved to the kitchen to wash his hands and grab the kit. He felt awkward now that the adrenaline was fading from his body and the cold air of the ship cooled the sweat on his exposed skin, but he started this, and he wasn’t about to stop. At least Sho remained facing away from him so he could not read the blossoming uncertainty on his face or notice the hesitance of his movements as he moved back to stand behind him, placing the kit on the table and opening it up.  
  
Changing a dressing should not have been a challenging task but it was hard not to get distracted. The hand he placed on Sho’s shoulder to steady him as he removed the bandage felt heavy, and Jun had to hold back the urge to curl his fingers into the muscle to better feel Sho’s slight trembling. He bent down to look at the wound, moving his head close enough for his breath to reach Sho’s skin, and he could see the way Sho twitched slightly at the sensation.  
  
“It looks good,” he murmured, angling his mouth up to direct the words at Sho’s ear. He didn’t miss the way Sho’s breath hitched at that, and it sent a warm flush of pleasure through his body.  
  
Jun felt the danger of prolonging things much further, knowing he wasn’t good at holding back, and he didn’t want that, not yet, so he moved quickly to finish his task. He let his fingers linger slightly as he stepped back, smoothing the skin at the edges of the fresh bandage.  
  
“I’ve finished,” he said. “You can put your shirt back on. If you want.”  
  
Sho was slow to react to his words and when he did he seemed to forget about his shirt, standing up abruptly and turning to face Jun. Now it was Jun’s turn to be thrown off balance again, but Sho didn’t appear to notice; didn’t register that they were both standing there shirtless, breathing too heavily in the small space between them.  
  
“I—” he started, and broke off, licking his lips. He was too close, and it wasn’t hard to imagine taking that small step forward to close the gap, to find out if those lips were just as soft as he remembered and if Sho tasted much different without the cheap alcohol on his breath.  
  
“Never mind.” Sho moved away just as suddenly as he’d been there and sat back down, finally remembering to pull his shirt back on. Jun lingered for a few seconds longer, just watching the side of Sho’s face, but he didn’t look back, so Jun walked away with the thick feeling of unspoken words caught in his throat.  


 

 

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It had been difficult to get in touch with Riisa for a proper conversation ever since they left: her crew had been far too busy sorting arrangements for making contact with the Ikuchi and trying to find the safest way to get to Nino. Jun was glad when he finally was able to, not wanting to reach Kuraokami before having a more solid idea of what they needed to be doing, but his mood soured by the time their talk finished.  
  
He moved to the living area and flopped facedown onto the couch, burying himself into the cushions and trying not to let out a groan of frustration. Sho was seated on the armchair, reading something on his tablet again, but Jun didn’t care. If Sho wanted to avoid him after the awkwardness of that morning, then he could be the one to move.  
  
Sho didn’t leave. He put his tablet aside and shifted forward, causing the fabric of the chair to make a slight rubbing noise under his movements. “Everything okay?” he asked. Jun turned his head towards him, stretching his neck to try get a better angle as he looked at Sho. Sho’s eyes flitted briefly across his body but his face kept a genuinely concerned expression, eyebrows drawn and eyes slightly wide.  
  
“Talked to Riisa.”  
  
“Didn’t go so well?”  
  
Jun sighed and pushed himself up to sit on the couch properly, facing Sho. “She said they’re having trouble with setting up a way to get admitted on to the Ikuchi ship without arousing too much suspicion. Doesn’t think we should join up with her for whatever they end up trying. Not enough time and too risky.”  
  
“So we find another way onto the ship. One that won’t get in the way of Riisa’s plans.”  
  
“But I don’t know how we can.” Jun ran a hand through his hair and scrunched his face up in frustration. “Riisa said they’re not planning to stop their main ships anywhere in the near future. We can try get them when they refuel, but if the timing doesn’t work then it might take too long. And we can’t engage them directly, not when they outnumber us and we don’t know if Nino will end up hurt in the crossfire. Which leaves us pretty much useless and now I’m wondering if there’s even any point to us wasting time on this trip to Kuraokami.”  
  
Sho frowned. His face was drawn deep in concentration and he looked down at the floor, lips pursing slightly before he spoke.  
  
“You know, Jun… sometimes I think you can get a blinded by your need to take action and have everything go the way you want it to. And it’s a good thing, don’t get me wrong. I mean, you were always the one who pushed us the hardest when we weren’t sure what we were doing. But just because plans don’t work out, doesn’t mean the situation is suddenly as hopeless as you think.”  
  
“Meaning?”  
  
“Look, we probably can’t engage with the Ikuchi or find a way to sneak on board while they’re in flight, correct? We’d have a better chance if they were stationed somewhere, but they’re not likely to make a stop of their own accord.” Jun nodded slowly. He wasn’t sure where Sho was going with this. “Which means that if we don’t want to have to leave it all up to Riisa and her crew, what we need to do is force them to need to make a stop.”  
  
“And how are we going to do that?”  
  
“I remember you being a pretty damn good shot. If we can manage to hit them with just enough damage to hurt and then get away before they have a chance to retaliate, they’re going to need to stop somewhere, and then we’ll be able to follow them there.”  
  
“Like a hit and run.” Jun frowned. It would be tricky—without perfect timing and accuracy, they could end up in far more trouble than if they waited for a better opportunity. But Sho was right: Jun was the type to prefer to take action, especially now he’d committed himself rescuing Nino, whatever it took. He had the small consolation at knowing that they’d at least pulled off riskier plans before.  
  
“You seem doubtful.”  
  
Jun sighed. “Just not sure if we can pull this off. It’s been a long time since I’ve done anything like this.”  
  
“Hey. Look at me.” Jun looked up to meet Sho’s gaze, so challengingly earnest that it was hard to hold. “You can do this. We can do this. Maybe it won’t be this way; maybe we’ll get something from Kuroakami that will help us out or Riisa will call back with a new plan. But whatever happens, we’re going to make it through this, okay? We will.”  
  
“How can you be so certain?”  
  
Sho smiled, faintly. “Because I know you.”  
  
Jun didn’t know how Sho could say that when he didn’t even feel like he knew himself anymore. He wasn’t sure how to even respond, so he just sat there in silence, thinking, while Sho returned his attention to his tablet.  
  
They stayed that way together until Jun felt himself drifting off, and he let himself just curl up into the couch cushions rather than make the journey back to his room. The last thing he registered before he fell into sleep was the feeling of a blanket being draped over his body, and the soft graze of fingertips across his forehead, brushing away his hair from his face.  


 

 

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Midway through the fourth day, Kuraokami came into view. Sho and Jun watched it draw closer through the ship’s front windows as they brought it in for landing. Dark grey swirled with white ribbons, a promise of the freezing temperatures that awaited them. Kuraokami lived in a constant state of winter, one of the coldest entities in the solar system. That meant it was a largely unattended planet, with very few inhabitants. Jun had not actually been aware of any of this, just knowing that Kuraokami was one of those planets no one went to, but Sho had done his research on their way. He was always good for that.  
  
Riisa had talked to the man to let him know of their arrival but neither Sho nor Jun had been allowed any contact with him themselves. They were to go to the location provided and find the man to meet with him face-to-face to conduct their business. Riisa assured them it would all work out fine.  
  
As they flew in, it became obvious where they needed to go. A large iron shed stood isolated at the centre of a clearing, covered by a thin layer of snow. The snow was swirling lightly around them, dissolving and sliding off the front windshield upon contact with the ship’s anti-ice protections. Jun brought them down slowly to park next to the shed, wary of navigating the unfamiliar conditions.  
  
They exited the ship in full protective suits: helmets securely fastened and oxygen tanks full. Besides the dangers of the unrelenting cold, Kuraokami’s atmosphere was poisonous to most living creatures. A strange place to choose to live for sure, but the extreme isolation probably held other charms.  
  
Jun wasn’t sure he could feel any as they trudged through the snow, his movements slow and difficult in his bulky suit and icy cold seeming to pierce right through to his bones. They reached a small door near the right corner of the building with a rectangular panel directly beside it. Sho bent closer to get a good look at it through his helmet. He awkwardly punched the keys with his gloved hands, entering the code Riisa gave them that would confirm their status as friendly guests.  
  
A few seconds passed before the door slid open to let them enter a small chamber, blocked by another door on the opposite side. They stood huddled together in that cramped space for a claustrophobic minute until the other door opened to allow them into a large workshop.  
  
The inside of the workshop revealed a cluttered mess: tables strewn with all kinds of parts and machinery, racks full of tools and various unidentifiable objects, complicated computer systems set up in different areas of the room. Jun could see a huge monitor at the back of the room that was currently blank, a number of similarly blank smaller screens surrounding it on the wall. He understood why Nino liked to come by and visit when he could. It would probably take days just to look at everything.  
  
“You can take those helmets off if you like,” a voice called from somewhere within the room. “It’s safe in here.”  
  
A figure walked up to them through the rows of tables. He had no suit on, only a pair of heavily stained overalls that clung to a narrow, wiry frame. A pair of goggles were pushed back on his head, and as he drew closer Jun could see the deep lines that stretched under hooded eyes and the faint dark smudge of grease that dotted the sharp tip of his nose. He sort of reminded Jun of a much older version of Ohno. Maybe Nino felt the same way.  
  
The man stopped in front of them, peering up from his shorter height. “I’d offer for you to take those suits off as well, but I’ve been told it gets rather chilly in here.”  
  
Sho and Jun glanced at each other and Sho moved to remove his helmet, placing it on the floor near the entrance. Jun did the same, and after a moment of indecision, chose to unzip the top half of his suit and push it down off his shoulders, letting it hang over his belt. Sho left his suit as is.  
  
“My name is Sakurai Sho, this is Matsumoto Jun,” said Sho, and Jun offered a small nod at his name. “We were sent here by Naka Riisa regarding a matter involving Ninomiya Kazunari. She thought you might be able to help us.”  
  
The man smiled. “Riisa talked to me already.” He did not offer his name in return.  
  
“So you know why we’re here then?” asked Jun.  
  
The smile faded from the man’s face and he grew more serious. “Heard Nino was captured by some of those criminal lowlifes and you’re fixing to get him back.”  
  
“Yes, and we need anything that might be able to help us get onto the ship he’s being held on and then get away with Nino safely.”  
  
“One of them big smuggler ships?”  
  
“We think so. He’s been taken by the Ikuchi, if you know them. Former Umibozu members.”  
  
“I know them.” A dark, angry glint pierced through his eyes, in sharp contrast to his otherwise placid expression. “I have some things I think you can use.”  
  
With that, he turned and walked away, into the chaos behind him. Sho and Jun looked at each other a moment before following after him, falling into single file to avoid accidentally touching anything they passed. Sho kept turning his head to to look at everything, slowing enough that Jun almost bumped into him. The third time it happened, Jun had been distracted enough himself that he had reach out a hand to rest on Sho to avoid tripping. He growled a warning in Sho’s ear and received a stuttered apology in return. Sho kept more focused after that.  
  
The man stopped abruptly in front of one of the racks, frowning a moment before he selected a small, dark object and thrust it at Sho.  
  
“You’ll be wanting one of these,” he said, and turned back before either of them had a chance to ask what it was. Sho lifted the object up in his hands to stare curiously at it a moment before Jun grabbed his arm and pulled him to follow along.  
  
They continued this way around the workshop, occasionally stopping so the man could hand another object over to whoever of them happened to be closest. One of the objects looked to Jun to be a weapon, with obvious hand grips and trigger mechanisms, but he didn’t have much clue what the others were.  
  
There were multiple computers and tablets scattered around the workshop but the man walked past all of them until he reached one hidden right at the back corner of the room, covered with an intimidating number of cables and attached hardware. “Most important of all,” he said as he bent closer to the monitor and tapped his fingers deftly across the screen. Jun tried to get a look over his shoulder but the files were all in complicated code he couldn’t work out. After only a minute of this, the man was done, and removed a small flash drive from the computer. He walked over to an empty table nearby, and stood next to it expectantly.  
  
“Now. Let’s take a look at those toys you have,” he said, resting a hand on top of the table. Sho and Jun moved to stand next to the table and placed the items out carefully front of them. The man picked up two of the small boxes and moved them closer to him with the flash drive.  
  
“These will be of most importance to you, I’m guessing. How good are you at accessing networks and breaking security systems?”  
  
“I know the basics,” said Sho. “Nothing too advanced but I get by.”  
  
“That’s fine. The programs on here”—he held up the flash drive—“will do most of the work for you. But it’ll help if you know what you’re doing.” He lowered the flash drive and picked up the black box. “What you’re going to want to do first is connect this to your navigation system. It’ll effectively hide your ship. Won’t stop you from being seen by the human eye, of course, but it’ll prevent you from showing up on their radar.” The man reached for the other box. “This one you’ll need to connect up to your ship’s computers. Don’t ask me what it does, I’m not going to bother explaining. Just make sure you do that, and then you can run the programs I put on the drive.”  
  
“And then?”  
  
“ _Then_ , you should be able to access the computer systems of any ship nearby, provided you know how to find them. You’ll be able to access their systems info, bring up a feed of any cameras on board, alter their flight path—whatever. They won’t even be able to notice the breach.”  
  
Jun raised his eyebrows. Despite what Riisa might say about this man not being a criminal, that kind of tech was definitely highly illegal. And valuable. If it were to become known that this man possessed such a thing, many people from both government and criminal organisations alike would be after him.  
  
He glanced over at Sho to see whether this information was alarming him, and noted there was a small frown of concern on his face. He said nothing, however, and Jun turned his attention back to the old man, who was reaching for something else on the table.  
  
“Now, for when you don’t have security cameras to show you what you want to see, this little beauty will come in handy.” A small, black disc rested in the palm of his hands, marked by curved ridges that traversed the outside edge. He pressed an unseen button on the device, and the ridges shot open to reveal what looked like thin, metallic legs that fanned out from the circular body of the object. “I’m quite fond of this one—they’re easy enough for me to make, but I’d appreciate it if you could try not to break it anyway. It’s a camera. Able to be controlled remotely to move it where you want to go and it will transmit a live feed back—ah.” The man broke off his sentence and scratched the side of his head. “I forgot about the receiver. Never mind, I’ll sort that out for you in a minute.”  
  
Jun plucked the small device out of the man’s hand to examine it carefully. Looking at it closer, he could see the small lens of a camera, as well as the barely perceptible groove of a button he supposed changed it’s state. He pressed it, and the legs retracted, returning once more to its disc form. “Nice,” he said, putting it back on the table, “but only really useful if we can get it inside the right ship in the first place.”  
  
“Well then, that’s just something you’re going to have to figure out yourselves. But I have some things that can help you out with locks, if that’s what you need.” He pointed at a smooth, rectangular box on the table. “That one should get past keycode systems like the one I have outside. I tinker with it sometimes to upgrade the decryption software until it can unlock my door outside. Then I work on enhancing the security on that so it’s unbreakable once more.” He smiled. “You might say that it’s a bit of a game I like to play with myself.”  
  
Jun raised an eyebrow. He supposed the man had to find some way to entertain himself, isolated here that he was. At least his eccentricities were proving to be of great use to them.  
  
“What about this one?” he asked, pointing at the last, weapon-like object on the table.  
  
“An electromagnetic pulse gun,” said Sho with a small frown on his face. He looked over at the old man. “Correct?”  
  
The man raised a grizzled eyebrow at Sho. “You familiar with EMP guns?”  
  
“I know that most governments have tried pretty hard to outlaw them. Too dangerous.”  
  
“Well. That’s not exactly untrue. This one’s my latest and safest model but I wouldn’t go blasting it carelessly on a ship.”  
  
“EMPs neutralise computer tech?” Jun questioned. He was vaguely aware of the technology, but he’d never actually seen a gun like this, let alone used one himself.  
  
“If they’re properly made. Most of them aren’t, but I’m not most people. It’s a pretty handy weapon to have provided you’re cautious with how you use it.” He looked over at Sho, who was still frowning. “You don’t have to take it if you prefer not to. I’m just giving you choices here.”  
  
“We’ll take it,” said Jun. He wasn’t about to turn down anything that might be useful. Sho could worry about the danger by himself.  
  
The man smiled. “Good. Now, I’d live to give you everything and send you on your way, but unfortunately I was not quite ready for you. Still have to fix up a few things before I can send you on your way. I prefer to work without interruptions, so if you don’t mind…” he trailed off and turned away, walking towards the far corner of the room.  
  
Jun couldn’t help but roll his eyes a little when Sho glanced over at him this time, eyebrows raised at the abrupt behaviour of their new friend. Sho had to stifle a laugh as they moved to follow him, falling into step with each other.  
  
The man led them through a doorway that was almost hidden at the back of the shed, into a small kitchen area.  
  
“It’s not much,” he said after showing them into the room, “but I hope you can make yourself comfortable here while I finish up. There are some glasses in the top cupboard and clean water in the fridge.”  
  
They nodded at him as he exited, leaving them standing together in the cramped room.  
  
There was a small window above the sink that didn’t seem to open but showed a glimpse of their surroundings, starkly white. Light snowfall floated through the sky, adding to the thick coating on the ground; a scene that seemed so strangely fantastical to Jun. He’d never really seen snow in person before they arrived at Kuroakami. Not like this.  
  
Sho moved nearer to the window. The glare from outside illuminated his face with pale light that made his eyes shine and his lips stand out, deep pink, against his skin. He looked so wistful in that moment that it made something tighten in Jun’s stomach, and he found himself torn between conflicting desires to look away or to step closer for a better view.  
  
“You like the snow,” he said, not wanting to just continue staring at Sho with no justification.  
  
Sho turned to him, a small smile on his face. “Yeah,” he said, voice warm. “I’ve been to a few planets with snow like this. Sometimes for work but also just when I could for vacation. I spent a lot of time travelling around the galaxy for a while. Wanted to see everything.”  
  
Right. Those years Sho spent far away from them. Meanwhile, Jun had hardly left Jizo since he started work with Ohno. The last time would have been almost half a year ago with Nino, on a trip to buy new equipment for the workshop. He’d barely even taken the time to look around the city they stopped at.  
  
“I always wanted to show you some of the places I went to. The very first time I saw real snow like this, I thought it would be nice if you were there with me. It seemed fitting, somehow.” He laughed softly before breaking off, glancing at Jun with trepidation on his face. “Sorry. You wouldn’t have wanted to go anywhere with me anyway.” Sho looked down. “I guess it was easier for me. To forget that things had changed.”  
  
Jun swallowed, feeling tightness in his chest at the sight of Sho’s face, so full of regret in that moment. “It’s okay,” he said finally, hating the way his voice cracked. It made him feel eighteen again, small and uncertain. Those times spent unable to find the right words in front of Sho, such an untouchable figure to him then that he could never quite seem to reach.  
  
Sho shook his head. “It’s not. I took you for granted. Always did.” He smiled sadly. “Took me a long time to realise that. And now it’s too late.”  
  
The words stifled Jun and he couldn’t look at Sho. It was one thing to use the tension between them to prod and tease Sho, but anything beyond that left him feeling like he was stuck in quicksand and sinking fast. He knew he’d been avoiding this moment ever since Sho had returned.  
  
“It might not be,” he said, surprising himself even as the words left his mouth. The room stilled, and all Jun could focus on was the sound of his breathing and the hazy shapes in front of him as he kept his gaze trained firmly away from Sho.  
  
The soft touch against the side of his face would have startled Jun had he not been expecting it. Even without looking he was too aware of Sho’s presence, drawing ever closer.  
  
“Jun.”  
  
He looked up. There was almost nothing separating them anymore. Sho’s breath fanned across his lips and Jun knew it would only take the slightest push forward to close the gap entirely.  
  
“Wait.” Jun could hardly seem to breathe as he spoke, but he gripped onto the last vestiges of his control. “Not now. Not until all of this mess with Nino has been resolved.”  
  
Sho held still for a tense few seconds before he pulled away. “Okay.” Jun searched for signs of disappointment on his face and found nothing. But Sho let his fingers linger on the side of Jun’s face, moving them up to brush away a stray lock of hair.  
  
“Okay,” he repeated, tucking the hair behind Jun’s ear with a small smile. Jun knew it was a promise. The only question was whether he would let it go unfulfilled.  
  
Or if he even could if he wanted to.  


 

 

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Every step closer they took to confronting the Ikuchi directly felt like another step closer to something going horribly wrong, but luck seemed to turn in their favour after the trip to Kuroakami. The latest information Riisa sent forth showed the Ikuchi on slightly changed path that would cause them to intersect with _Arashi_ sooner than they had previously thought. It meant Sho and Jun were going to be able to reach the Ikuchi’s ships well before Riisa and the rest of her crew, giving them a better opportunity to actually try themselves to rescue Nino.  
  
They spent the rest of their journey working together to perfect a plan. Riisa had finally managed to organise a meeting with members of the Ikuchi, gaining an invitation aboard their main ship to discuss some kind of trade. She didn’t go into details about what exactly she told them but it made Jun nervous. Even more when he knew that their own planned infiltration might just end up ruining her chance to get on board and squash their last hope to get Nino out.  
  
Still, it was a risk he wanted to take. Needed to; he couldn’t just sit by after coming this far, not when Nino was so close. At least, Jun had to remind himself, he hoped Nino was as close as they assumed. A lot rode on the belief that he was in fact being held, alive, on that main Ikuchi ship—but even if he wasn’t, Jun wanted to be able to confirm it for himself.  
  
Thanks to their new friend on Kuroakami, they now had the technological advantage to boost their chances of pulling everything off from ‘fairly unlikely’ to ‘somewhat possible’. Gaining access to the internal systems Ikuchi’s ships would allow them to switch their course for a path that went by a space station Sho had been to before, so that when Jun hopefully managed to shoot one of their engines out, the Ikuchi would be forced to land there for repairs. It would also allow them to get a better understanding of the exact layout of the main ship, and Jun hoped that by combining that with Sho’s knowledge of the space station, they would have a good shot of actually making the entire infiltration plan work.  
  
From there, they’d have to rely on a lot of improvising. The best case scenario was that they would manage to sneak onto the ship and into a hiding place undetected, locate where Nino was, and get him out without anyone getting struck down by angry gang members before they could reach the safety of _Arashi_.  
  
It was hardly likely to be that easy, but Jun had to trust that together they could work around anything that was thrown their way.  
  
Surprisingly, that trust came easily to him. Even though Sho had been the one to suggest the plan initially, he still deferred to Jun when it came to deciding all of the details, and it became easy to slip back into a natural partnership. Jun wasn’t sure if he was just overcompensating, not wanting to provoke a fight when everything was finally going well. But he wasn’t going to lie: it was nice to be able to work together in sync, with an ease that felt reminiscent of the old days.  
  
He was almost looking forward to seeing how well that partnership would extend to being thrust into the danger they were about to bring upon themselves; whether they were still able to move seamlessly, side-by-side, in the same way they used to.  
  
Familiar, anticipatory tension shot through Jun when they finally were in close enough range to detect the Ikuchi’s ships. The main ship was several times the size of Arashi, designed for mass transportation. A few smaller ships stuck closer by—they were the ones to be cautious of if something went wrong and the shield protecting _Arashi_ didn’t work as planned. Jun had to keep his faith that it would.  
  
“How are you going?” he asked Sho, who was frowning at the screen in front of him as he tried to locate the Ikuchi ships with the program he’d installed on their own ship’s computer.  
  
“Still need to get a little closer, I think. Almost… _there_.”  
  
“You in?”  
  
“I’ve established a connection. Just waiting for the data to load.”  
  
Jun thrummed his fingers over the dashboard nervously. He knew that there was no point in trying to rush anything, but it was hard to sit patiently and let Sho work. He kept stealing glances over at Sho, at the serious lines of his face as he stared at the screen, waiting for the shift of a triumphant smile to emerge.  
  
It never got a chance to.  
  
The communication panel suddenly flashed to life and the loud noises that came with an urgent message started ringing around the room, startling them. Jun reached over to check the screen, vaguely aware of Sho moving to lean over his shoulder.  
  
“It’s Riisa,” he said, and pressed the button to connect her.  
  
Her face appeared on the grainy screen and Jun felt the pit of his stomach fall at her anxious expression.  
  
_“Jun? Sho?”_ Her face relaxed slightly at the sight of them. _“You need to change your flight coordinates. ASAP.”_  
  
“Wait, what?” Jun could feel Sho’s face hovering over his shoulder as he spoke. “Why?”  
  
_“I just received a message from Nino’s personal comm. He’s not with the Ikuchi.”_


	4. Chapter 4

Jun stared at Riisa’s face on the screen in disbelief. “What do you mean Nino’s not with the Ikuchi?”  
  
_“I mean I received a message from him about ten minutes ago. He’s on Tajikarao.”_  
  
“Tajikarao?” Jun looked over at Sho who merely shrugged. “Where is that?”  
  
_“Closer to you than us, which is why you need to go there first. He didn’t give many details in the message, so I’m worried about leaving him stranded too much longer.”_  
  
“Are you sure?” Sho’s voice sounded just as disbelieving as Jun’s had. “Couldn’t it be a trap?”  
  
Riisa shook her head. _“The message was in a code that only the two of us know. I’m sure it was him.”_  
  
Jun’s mind raced, trying to process the shock of the new information Riisa was telling them. “Why now? Why didn’t you get any message from him before?”  
  
_“I’m not sure. I think he probably sent it days ago and it took this long to reach. He’s without access to his ship right now and Tajikarao is hardly the most technologically advanced place.”_  
  
That was certainly possible, but Jun didn’t know whether he should feel worried or relieved at this point. Thinking that Nino had spent weeks stranded somewhere alone and without his ship hardly felt more comforting than if they knew he was being held captive by the Ikuchi. Especially when they were far closer to the Ikuchi than Tajikarao at that moment.  
  
_“Look, I know this is all very sudden, but trust me here. I don’t want you getting caught up in a mess with the Ikuchi if Nino’s not even there.”_  
  
Jun didn’t want that either. But if the message was false, and Nino was actually with the Ikuchi, it meant abandoning their best shot at getting to him.  
  
He looked over at Sho. There didn’t seem to be the need for words at that moment, both of them just holding in a meaningful stare until Sho nodded slowly.  
  
Jun spared a brief glance at the computer screen showing the Ikuchi’s ships drifting further away and then turned back to face Riisa.  
  
“We’ll go. Send through the coordinates.”

 

─────────────

  
  
  
Jun knew it wasn’t a helpful question, not when Sho would tell him the moment he received any response from Nino, but he couldn’t help it. Not when they were close to landing on Tajikarao with little idea of what awaited them. They’d tried to connect to Nino’s comm with no success so far, and it made the pit of Jun’s stomach churn with increasing worry.  
  
“Not yet.” Sho broke away from examining the screen in front of him to flash Jun a sympathetic smile. “But we’ve still got a trace on his comm, so hopefully we can find him somewhere. I don’t know that there will be too many places to look.”  
  
It turned out that Tajikarao was an asteroid that had been used as a military base during an old war, long enough ago to exist as little more than a footnote in most history books. According to the information Sho was able to find, underground bunkers had been built below the surface, and Jun had to hope that was true because he couldn’t see anything much beyond the untouched, rocky exterior as they approached.  
  
His body was starting to vibrate with impatience when Sho made a small noise of surprise beside him.  
  
“Hey. I think that’s Nino’s ship.”  
  
He couldn’t see it at first, eyes moving too fast to focus, and then, there it was: the telltale shape of Nino’s ship, almost hidden between the rock craters. Small relief shot through the fear tight in his chest with the knowledge that they had at least made the right decision in coming here.  
  
They headed straight for his ship once they landed, running to climb aboard the open hatch.  
  
There was no sign of Nino inside. Jun supposed that would have been all too easy.  
  
“Do you think he made it into the bunkers?” he asked Sho, trying to keep his voice calmer than he felt.  
  
“There should be an entrance somewhere nearby.”  
  
“Should we split up to cover more ground or stick together?”  
  
“I think it’s better if we don’t separate right now.”  
  
It took some searching before they found a metal hatch built into the ground, about thirty metres away from where they started. “Could’ve used a sign,” Jun mumbled as he opened it up, taking the lead from Sho to make his way inside first.  
  
He was immediately confronted by pitch darkness, making it impossible to even see his next step. “Torch?” he asked, looking back up at Sho still outside the hatch. Sho rummaged around the bag he was carrying and pulled out two torches, handing one to Jun.  
  
The light from the torch made it easier to see where he was going, but no less unsettling as he started to walk through the too-still corridor. The roof above his head was low enough to force him to stoop slightly, feeling it brush the top of his hair, and the walls seemed to draw tighter with every step.  
  
“Nino?” he tried, voice echoing in the dark space. “Nino!”  
  
A hand grabbed his shoulder and he flinched, almost dropping the torch. He looked over his shoulder at Sho, standing too close behind him. “What?”  
  
“Sorry.” Even through his thick protective suit, Jun could feel the tremble in his fingers. “It’s just… really dark in here.”  
  
Jun sighed and turned back around. “Come on,” he said, letting Sho stick close to him as he continued down the corridor. There was a door at the end, with no obvious locks to keep them from getting through, so Jun wrenched the stiff handle open and pushed.  
  
What hit him first was the suffocating scent of atrophy. Not quite the putrid stickiness that came with rot, but thick and dull and dusty; an unsettling heaviness that coated his tongue. He tried to cough it clear and stepped over the threshold, Sho right behind.  
  
Shining the torchlight around the room revealed nothing much of note: some lockers lining one of the walls and what looked to be a control booth just to his right. He called Nino’s name again, edging further forward. There were several doors that led away from this room, but only one was open, so he went towards it.  
  
A noise stopped him in his tracks as soon as he walked through the doorway. It sounded like feet shifting across the floor, and Jun flashed his torch in search of the source, heart racing, until he found the face he had been hoping desperately to see.  
  
“Well, well. Looks like the cavalry has finally arrived.”  
  
He just stood there for a moment, frozen with overwhelming relief, until he felt Sho push past him into the room.  
  
“Nino!”  
  
Sho rushed over to where Nino stood and pulled him into a tight embrace, eliciting a surprised laugh from Nino as he tried to wriggle out of the hold.  
  
“Wait a second,” he said, and looked over at Jun. “There should be a light switch on the wall near you, Jun.”  
  
Jun searched until he found the switch, squinting sharply at the blinding light that engulfed the room. “Why were you standing here in the dark?”  
  
“I was sleeping.” Jun could see now that there was a bed next to Nino. “Your voice woke me up. I thought it was some kind of fever dream.”  
  
Sho took hold of Nino’s shoulders and looked him up and down. “Are you okay?”  
  
Nino shrugged. “Could be worse.” Even as he said that, he started swaying, and Sho had to tighten his hold before he stumbled. “Okay, maybe a little dizzy.”  
  
Sho immediately reached for his water flask and handed it to Nino. “You should sit down.”  
  
Nino took a large swig and shook his head. “No. I’d rather just get out of here. This place sucks.”  
  
“Are you injured?” asked Jun.  
  
“A little bruised; nothing worth crying about.” He took another long drink from the flask and passed it back to Sho. “You don’t happen to have anything stronger, do you?”  
  
Sho frowned. “No.”  
  
Jun pulled a small flask out from one of his pockets and tossed it over to Nino, who caught it without so much as a fumble. “Thanks,” he said, grinning at Jun as he uncapped the lid. Sho looked over at him with raised eyebrows, unimpressed, and Jun just shrugged.  
  
“If you’re okay to walk then we should head back to the ship,” said Jun, moving to pick up what he assumed was Nino’s bag off the floor. “I don’t exactly fancy sticking around here either. Do you have anything else?”  
  
“Just my ship.”  
  
“What do you want to do about that? Riisa’s on her way if you want to get her to deal with it?”  
  
Nino thought for a second and then shook his head. “No, save her the trip. The cost of fixing it now will be more than it’s worth.” He sighed. “Riisa’s been at me for ages to replace it. I guess she was right.”  
  
“You should listen to her more.”  
  
“Yeah, and I should also never have listened to the hack tech guy we hired who tried to give my ship a systems upgrade and obviously butchered everything.” Nino started to walk for the door, immediately followed by Sho, still keeping his arm close to Nino to support him. “Can we save the lecturing for later? I’d really like to go home now.”

 

─────────────

  
  
  
After they stopped by Nino’s ship to gather anything he still wanted to keep, the trio made their way back aboard Arashi. Nino immediately settled into the living room, curling up on the armchair while Sho fussed around him. Jun sent a quick message to Riisa to let her know they were safe before going to the kitchen to find something for Nino to eat. There wasn’t much there, but he reheated a bowl of leftovers from the fridge and brought it back out the living room with a mug of hot tea.  
  
Nino accepted the food gratefully but didn’t take the tea, so Jun kept it for himself. He felt like he could use something soothing right then, body aching as he settled into the empty space on the couch next to Sho.  
  
It felt more than a little disconcerting to have Nino right there in front of him, looking thoroughly relaxed and unharmed. Jun was glad that he was, of course, but it seemed that surely it shouldn’t have ended up so easy.  
  
His staring was obviously a bit too intense, because Nino paused in between mouthfuls and raised his eyebrows at Jun. “What?”  
  
“Nothing.” Jun shifted in his seat but he didn’t release his gaze on Nino. “This just feels kind of strangely anticlimactic. We were expecting a rather difficult rescue mission.”  
  
“Well I’m sorry to disappoint.” Nino’s words were sarcastic but his face betrayed a soft look of gratitude.  
  
“I think we’re both mostly just happy to see you’re okay,” said Sho.  
  
Nino nodded slowly as he finished chewing. “I have to say,” he said, resting his chopsticks on his bowl, “I wasn’t exactly expecting you two to show up today.”  
  
Jun exchanged look with Sho, unsure of where to start. Nino raised his eyebrows at them as he waited for a response, and he leaned forward to place his bowl down on the coffee table, out of the way.  
  
“Seems like this is going to be a bit of a long story.”  
  
“It’s missing a few details right now,” said Sho. “After all, we don’t know what happened to you when you disappeared.”  
  
“Short version? I was ambushed.”  
  
“By the Ikuchi Syndicate?”  
  
Nino gaze turned sharp as he responded to Sho. “Can’t say I stopped to ask them who they were when I was too busy trying not to get shot down. Why do you think they ambushed me?”  
  
“Because we were under the impression they took you captive,” said Jun. A small, confused frown appeared on Nino’s face and Jun felt like he was beginning to get a better picture as to what really happened. “I’m guessing they didn’t?”  
  
“No.” Nino looked at them carefully. “I was chased by whoever was in those ships, but I managed to slip away. Ended up hiding out on that asteroid you found me on after it became clear that my ship wasn’t going to last much longer. Spent a nice couple of weeks surviving off my minimal rations while I waited for Riisa to pick up my signal.”  
  
They’d been foolish. Clearly their attempts to track down Nino had alerted the Ikuchi to what they were doing, and they saw it as a perfect opportunity to stage a fake ransom to lure them into a trap. Assuming the ships that had ambushed Nino in the first place belonged to the Ikuchi, then they probably never had any intention of taking him alive. It was more likely that they had always been planning to kill Nino, and surely eventually the rest of them too; a definitive, brutal revenge.  
  
Jun looked over at Sho, meeting his eyes. The way they widened, face falling into a frown, was enough to let him know that Sho had realised the same thing.  
  
It was Sho who spoke next. “When Riisa couldn’t find you, she asked me to help. All we had to go off at that point was the distress signal you sent past Suijin. Unfortunately, by the time I got there, you were long gone, but the Ikuchi weren’t.”  
  
Nino frowned. “So you assumed they kidnapped me?”  
  
“We did once they sent us a ransom demand for you.”  
  
This earned a single, raised eyebrow. “Nice little trap. You fell for it?”  
  
“We were worried,” said Jun, before Sho was forced to rehash the entire mess over again. “Not like we knew you were here.”  
  
Nino held Jun’s stare for a moment and then glanced over at Sho, his face carefully impassive. Jun could sense Sho stiffen beside him. He wanted to reach over to touch Sho’s hand in attempted reassurance, but Nino’s eyes were too sharp. There was no way he would miss the gesture, and Jun didn’t want that; not when he’d already been looking at them with too much curiosity since they’d arrived.  
  
Needing to remove the temptation, Jun stood up. “We should get going. I’ll go ready the ship for the journey home.” He stopped to look at Nino on his way past, expression softening. “I’m glad you’re okay.” 

 

─────────────

  
  
  
The exhaustion that had built up from weeks of constant anxiety and not enough sleep caught up to Jun finally. He barely managed to hold himself together long enough to get _Arashi_ off Tajikarao and on its way back home before Sho basically manhandled him into his bedroom with a firm resistance to Jun’s attempts to volunteer himself to take control of the ship a little longer. Had he been less tired, he may have mustered more of a response to that—Sho right there with him in the cramped bedroom space with his hands on Jun’s hips and his face close enough to feel his breath—but Jun was too drained to even feel any sense of awkwardness at the situation. The thin mattress on his uncomfortable bunk bed never seemed so inviting.  
  
He found himself practically sleepwalking through most of the journey back. Jun didn’t trust that their return trip would run smoothly, but it was hard not to lapse into a more relaxed sense of security now that Nino was with them and the Ikuchi were apparently occupied elsewhere. Nino seemed to spend most of his time in constant communication with his various contacts, catching up with what he’d missed during his unexpected absence and trying to find any information he could about the Ikuchi. Jun overheard snippets as he floated his way around the ship but he didn’t press for details. He was too eager to return home to face thinking about anything else just yet.  
  
By the time Jun felt more like himself again, he’d lost track of how much time had passed. It was quiet on the ship as he wandered down from his room into the kitchen, suddenly starving now that he was more awake. There wasn’t exactly much to choose from. Egg and rice would have to do until they could make a stop somewhere for something that wasn’t freeze-dried.  
  
Jun measured out enough rice into a pot to feed three and walked out to the living area. There was no sign of Sho anywhere, but Nino was curled up on the couch playing some kind of game. Jun wasn’t even sure where he got such an old console from, sure that it didn’t come from the belongings Nino brought over from his ship, but he supposed Nino must have left it behind on _Arashi_ one of the last times he was there. Some of the ship’s storage compartments had remained largely undisturbed since they’d all last used it. Jun had never been interested in cleaning everything out.  
  
He moved closer to Nino. “Hungry? I’m just cooking dinner if you want any.”  
  
It took a few seconds for Nino to respond, and then it was just in the form of a low grunt. Jun interpreted that was a yes, provided Nino remembered to pull himself away from his game in time. “Have you seen Sho?”  
  
Nino shrugged, still frowning at his game. “Shower,” he responded belatedly. Jun nodded and returned to the kitchen.  
  
He was just about ready to start serving the rice when he heard the soft pad of footsteps behind him. Jun looked over his shoulder to see Nino, yawning as he made his way to Jun. “We need to buy more food,” said Jun, reaching to grab another bowl.  
  
There was the sound of the refrigerator door opening and bottles clinking as Nino pulled out two of the beers they still seemed to have plenty of remaining. Their priorities the last time they’d stopped for supplies had obviously been a bit skewed.  
  
“Can we live off what we have until we make it back to Jizo?” Nino handed over one of the bottles and Jun exchanged it for a bowl of food. He followed behind Nino to the table, and sat across from him.  
  
“How long until we’re there?”  
  
“Two days.”  
  
Jun considered this as he began eating. “Any chance of complications that could delay us?”  
  
“By complications, do you mean the usual type of problems we might expect, or the type that come with plasma guns trying to shoot us down?”  
  
Jun looked at Nino and lowered his chopsticks. “You think the Ikuchi still plan to come after us.” It wasn’t a question. Jun knew that if he’d been letting thoughts of the Ikuchi’s next move push through at the back of his mind, then there was no way Nino hadn’t been carefully considering the threat they posed.  
  
“Not in the next few days.”  
  
“But eventually.”  
  
Nino shrugged and picked up his beer. “I know how to tell the difference between a warm up event and the main show.”  
  
They fell silent at that and returned to their meal. Jun kept his eyes on Nino as he ate. He had the distinct feeling that there was something else Nino wasn’t quite saying, but his face betrayed nothing.  
  
Before Jun could say anything further, he noticed Nino’s eyes flicker over to catch on something across the room. Jun turned around in his chair to see Sho walking down the stairs. His hair was wet, creating damp patches on the shoulders of his shirt, and he was wearing his favourite pair of old sweatpants; the ones Jun had a certain love-hate relationship with.  
  
Sho paused in his tracks at the sight of them.  
  
Jun held still in a silent stare with Sho for a long moment until Sho smiled at him and broke away. He continued to watch Sho as he moved to the living room table to pick up his tablet discarded there: the light fabric of his shirt pulling across his body when he reached down, the strands of wet hair that fell over his face and needed to be pushed back, the tight hug of his pants when he turned back around and walked away.  
  
He completely forgot about offering him food until it was too late; Sho having already disappeared upstairs.  
  
When Jun turned back around, Nino was staring at him with an irritating glint in his eyes. Jun shifted in his seat and reached for his beer, trying to feign nonchalance.  
  
Nino’s lips curled up into an amused smirk. “He’s not very good at subtlety, is he? Our Sho.” Nino leaned forward, eyes sparkling under the light. “Though you’re hardly better.”  
  
Jun said nothing.  
  
“Are you regretting taking me back with you? I feel like I’m getting in the way.”  
  
“You’re not.”  
  
“Really? Kinda seems otherwise. You know, with all the little staring matches you two keep having.”  
  
He couldn’t offer any defence to that. It was true that every time they ran into each other the past few days, Sho just stopped and looked at him, as if he was expecting something. And Jun was hardly better, finding himself staring back, before one of them broke the awkward silence by moving away, leaving words unspoken. He couldn’t be surprised that Nino had noticed.  
  
Nino took another sip from his beer and continued speaking. “You never explained how it is you ended up coming after me together. Last I checked, you weren’t exactly on speaking terms with Sho.”  
  
“I’m not,” he replied. Nino just looked at him pointedly. “I wasn’t. He came to Jizo after his first run-in with the Ikuchi and asked for my help.”  
  
“And you agreed?”  
  
_Not initially._ “I decided to for your sake.”  
  
Nino kept his eyes on Jun, searching his face with an understanding look. Jun wondered how much of the full story he’d already gotten from elsewhere, and how much he’d just guessed. He never liked this Nino much: the one who asked leading questions despite already knowing the answers. Jun didn’t enjoy playing games when he didn’t understand the rules.  
  
“You know, I saw Sho a fair bit after we both left Jizo.” Jun frowned at the sudden change in topic. “He asked about you sometimes. Most of the time, really.”  
  
Jun looked down and picked at the paper label on his beer. “And what did you tell him?”  
  
“That you were a moody bastard.” The glare Jun shot Nino only received a smug look of amusement in response. “And that if he really wanted to know how you were, he should go talk to you himself.”  
  
“He never did.”  
  
“You didn’t exactly make him feel like he was welcome to come back.”  
  
A small tendril of guilt curled through Jun. It wasn’t as if he wasn’t aware that Sho avoided returning for years because of him. He had wanted that, after all. But it was also easy to convince himself that Sho was too busy anyway; that he had moved on. He kept up a pretense to shift any responsibility for their broken relationship away from himself and put it all on Sho, whether that was fair or not.  
  
Nino sighed. “You know, I'm surrounded by enough idiots as it is. I'd hate to have to count you among them.” He pushed his seat back from the table and picked up his empty bowl. “Thanks for the meal, Jun.”

 

─────────────

  
  
  
It took longer than Jun would have liked before they were able to get through to Aiba and Ohno. Riisa was able to pass the message on first to let them both know that Nino was safe, but that didn’t temper Aiba’s response any when he actually saw Nino; loud with incoherent excitement and close to tears. Nino teased him for the display, but there was no bite behind his words. His smile made it obvious he was pleased by the attention.  
  
Aiba’s high spirits only dampened when he learned that he wasn’t going to be able to meet them as soon as they arrived home. He had gone to the city to get his arm fixed and wouldn’t quite manage to make it back before them. They had to sternly talk him down from his rash suggestion that he’d abandon his surgery for another time.  
  
Worry shot through Jun at the thought of Ohno left alone, so it was a relief when they talked to him and he seemed just as fine as usual. Ohno was more subdued in his reaction than Aiba, but no less happy to see them.  
  
_“I’m glad to know you’re safe,”_ he said, smiling softly. _“It’s nice to see you all happy and together again.”_  
  
Only then did Jun realise how close Sho was standing to him, leaning over his shoulder where they bent to face the screen. He made to put some space between them, but there was no room: he was boxed in between the ship’s control panel in front of him and Sho behind him.  
  
It became hard to concentrate for the rest of the conversation, when he was hyperaware of the feeling of Sho’s body pressing against him every time they moved, his breath skimming past the side of his face as he spoke.  
  
He had to think Sho was doing some of it on purpose when Sho let himself fall into Jun after laughing unnecessarily hard at something Ohno said.  
  
When they finally made it back to Jizo, it was well past midnight. It made for a rather underwhelming homecoming to disembark under the quiet cover of darkness, but Jun was relieved to be back. Tension he hadn’t even realised he was holding seemed to melt away from his shoulders at his first step onto solid ground, feeling the familiar dusty earth beneath his feet.  
  
Some of it returned when he lifted his travel bag onto his shoulder and realised they had yet to discuss sleeping arrangements for the night.  
  
Nino was one step ahead of him. “I think I’ll go to Ohno’s,” he said, pulling the oversized jacket Jun had lent him tighter around his small frame. “I assume he keeps his spare key in the same place.”  
  
“Are you okay to get there?” Jun asked, but Nino was already walking away. He threw up his hand to wave over his shoulder as he headed in the direction of Ohno’s house.  
  
After watching Nino disappear into the night, Jun turned slowly to face Sho. He was startled by the sight of Sho staring at him, eyes bright with a certain anticipation despite the darkness that masked them.  
  
He looked away and cleared his throat. “So.”  
  
Even without looking, he could still feel Sho’s gaze, burning into the side of his face. He shifted on his feet and shoved his hands into his pockets, trying to regain some sense of stability as he continued to keep his eyes trained away from Sho.  
  
“Should I follow Nino to Ohno’s?” asked Sho. “He does have a couch.”  
  
Jun forced himself to look back at Sho’s face.  
  
It was a mistake.  
  
“No,” he said, voice feeling heavy and unnatural. “You can stay with me tonight. I’m closer anyway.”  
  
Sho nodded. “I appreciate it.” He picked up his bag off the ground. “Lead the way, then.”  
  
It was cold that night but Jun could hardly feel it. He tried to keep his body steady as he walked, straightening his back into a posture of calm composure, but it was hard to do when Sho let himself fall a step behind Jun, out of his periphery. Prickles ran down his skin at the thought of Sho watching him. That the only way he knew Sho was still with him was by the sound of his footsteps, echoing Jun’s own.  
  
Even so, he did not feel inclined to slow himself or to turn towards Sho. He knew that if he looked at Sho it would be too difficult; he would lose all of his pretend calm. Jun needed to at least get back to his room first.  
  
His fingers betrayed him as he reached the front door, trembling when he tried to fit his keys into the lock. He was sure he could feel the heat of Sho’s body radiating through the crisp night air from where he stood behind him, making his own body flush warm all over.  
  
The door finally opened and he walked inside, turning a light on as he did. He dropped his bag on the floor and crouched down, hyperaware of the sound of Sho behind him echoing his movements.  
  
Jun stood back up and turned around. Sho was standing already, watching him; waiting.  
  
It was almost painfully uncomfortable to keep still in the tense silence.  
  
“Would you like something to drink?” he tried, voice sounding oddly distant to his own ears, as if he was listening to someone else speak.  
  
“No.”  
  
Sho was strangely calm. He stepped forward, slowly, gaze burning as he moved closer to Jun. Too close. They were almost touching now and Jun’s chest tightened, his breaths coming shallow.  
  
He swallowed thickly, licking his lips, but he couldn’t make himself say anything. Sho’s eyes tracked the movement and then held there, caught on his mouth. As if unconsciously mirroring him, Jun’s also felt his gaze drift down to Sho’s mouth. It seemed even fuller than usual. His plush bottom lip stuck out tantalisingly close, and Jun could feel his self-control slipping.  
  
It was inevitable what would come next, but the moment of hesitation as they stood there seemed to stretch on for an eternity.  
  
And then, cut too short, when Sho moved forward to press his lips to Jun’s.  
  
The first, soft touch had all of Jun’s doubt and worries melting away in an instant, flooding his body with warmth at how right it felt. Kissing Sho was everything he’d built it up to be from the oft-replayed memory of that first time, except this was no fumbling, alcohol-fuelled manoeuvre from someone who didn’t know what he was doing. Sho moved with experience and certainty, and it was enough to make Jun _want_.  
  
Sho broke away and looked at him, searching his face with a questioning expression. Jun felt unfocused, breathing heavily. At some point, one of his hands had made its way to curl loosely around the nape of Sho’s neck. He moved it tighter, sliding across warm skin, causing Sho to shudder and let his eyes blink slowly.  
  
“This is okay?” Sho whispered, almost into Jun’s lips. His hands came up to rest on Jun’s shoulders, drifting towards his neck, a thumb skimming a light graze across his jaw.  
  
Jun didn't even nod, just reached for Sho and pulled him back in for another kiss. It was more forceful this time, Jun not holding back as he moved insistently against Sho, and Sho responded in turn, allowing his mouth to fall open to let Jun in, pressing back with equal intensity.  
  
They were already moving so fast, barrelling their way to a destination Jun wasn’t even sure he was ready for, but he knew he needed more. His hands slid down the taut muscles of Sho’s back, finding their way to grip his ass, and Jun delighted at the feel of it under his fingers before pulling him closer.  
  
Sho threw his head back and moaned, a sight so beautiful and wanton that Jun immediately surged forward to claim his exposed neck, lips attaching themselves to the pulse point. Sho whimpered at the attention and Jun found himself moving even faster, exchanging soft kisses for light nips, as he tried to touch every part of Sho he could reach. Sho’s hips ground into him in response, cock hard against Jun’s thigh. Jun longed to reach a hand in to touch it, to feel it pulse under his fingers.  
  
With some effort, he wrenched his mouth away from Sho. “Bedroom,” he gasped, voice thick and heavy with need.  
  
Sho just looked at him, pupils blown. His hands stayed clenched to Jun’s shoulders and he made no effort to move so Jun took action, reaching down to lift Sho up by his thighs and force his legs around his waist. Sho made a small noise of surprise and wrapped himself tighter around Jun so not to fall as he started moving for the bedroom, staggering with the effort.  
  
Jun dropped Sho onto the bed as soon as he reached it, almost falling down with him before he disentangled his arms from Sho and steadied himself back on his feet. Sho tried to lift himself off the bed to grab Jun again and resume kissing him, but Jun stopped him with a hand to his shoulder.  
  
“Wait here a second.” He left Sho, wanting and needy, on the bed and walked over to the dresser in the corner of the room.  
  
Jun returned with condoms and a bottle of lubricant which he tossed onto the bed beside Sho before reaching down to tug at his shirt.  
  
“You’re wearing too many clothes. Off.”  
  
The shirt was quickly removed and he pulled Sho off the bed by his hips to gain easier access to his pants. It was hard to keep focused, fingers scrabbling and slipping as he tried to remove them, when Sho wouldn’t keep still; insistently pressing flush against Jun’s body to kiss him, hands sliding under his shirt to touch bare skin.  
  
He pushed Sho away when he was done undressing him and stepped back to admire his naked body, eyeing the defined lines of his body, the smooth tan of his skin, the thick curve of his cock standing proudly against the jut of his hip. It was too much of a temptation to ignore, so Jun dropped to his knees and guided Sho’s cock into his mouth  
  
The taste of Sho’s cock, thick and heavy on his tongue, was intoxicating. Jun wrapped his lips around the head and sucked it further into his mouth, meeting the movements of his hand working up and down the shaft. Hands clutched at his shoulders as he built into a fast rhythm, and Jun could feel the way Sho trembled, loud pants becoming heady moans.  
  
As much as he enjoyed the feeling of Sho’s cock inside his mouth, Jun had other plans for it. He slowed down and allowed himself one last glorious slide down Sho’s cock, taking it as far as he could without choking, before pulling off with a loud pop. He kept his hand moving slowly on the shaft and looked up at Sho’s face: the way his mouth hung open, jaw slack and mouth glistening, his eyes unfocused and heavily-lidded.  
  
That look was one that Jun could get used to.  
  
He stood up to kiss Sho, fixating his attention on that pouty bottom lip, sucking it into his mouth and nipping at it with his teeth until it was thoroughly wet and swollen. It was easy enough to get lost in what he was doing, relishing every small noise Sho made, until Sho finally pulled away, gasping as he looked at Jun.  
  
“Jun. Please.”  
  
Jun nodded and pushed Sho lightly onto the bed. He made quick work of the rest of his clothes and climbed in after him, positioning his body to hover over where Sho lay.  
  
Sho reached a hand out to brush away the hair that fell across Jun’s forehead. He left his fingers there to trace light patterns over the curves of Jun’s face; reverent eyes and soft touches that made Jun shiver.  
  
Not wanting to waste any more time, Jun leaned back and searched for the discarded bottle of lubricant. As soon as he found it he moved back to Sho, reaching to latch his mouth to the edge of his jaw. He uncapped the bottle and poured some of the cold liquid onto his fingers as he kissed his way down Sho’s neck, pausing to mouth at the hard line of his clavicle, running his tongue into the dip and nipping at the soft skin below.  
  
The feeling of his own finger breaching his entrance was an uncomfortable one. It had been a long time since Jun had done this to himself, and longer still since anyone had done it to him. He tried to keep his attention on Sho while he pushed through the discomfort, distracting himself with his exploration of Sho’s chest.  
  
He’d just gotten the first finger all the way in when he was stopped by a hand gripping his arm.  
  
“Jun.” He looked up to meet Sho’s eyes. “Let me. I want to do it.”  
  
Jun stilled for a moment, but nodded, and let Sho move him so they reversed their positions. Sho grabbed a pillow and put it under Jun’s hips before he put a hand to the back of Jun’s thigh, spreading his legs with the gentlest of pushes.  
  
The frantic pace that Jun had been rushing towards slowed in Sho’s hands. He was careful as he worked his way into Jun, rubbing circles on the sides of his hips all the while with his other hand to calm him. The need for some kind of friction built desperately within Jun, and his hips jerked unconsciously in search of it, wanting to feel Sho’s touch.  
  
His wish was granted when Sho moved his hand over to take Jun’s neglected cock, pumping it with slow strokes that didn’t seem enough when his fingers pressed deeper with an insistent promise of what was to come. Every movement had him melting into the sheets, stripping away his control until he was left an incoherent mess.  
  
He wanted to get lost in the moment, to draw out every step to hold on to for later, so he would never forget the way this felt. But Jun was impatient at the best of times, and he’d wanted Sho for far too long to wait any longer now than he had to.  
  
He pulled Sho forward to kiss him, wet and messy, not caring about finesse when he just needed to feel Sho; to taste him.  
  
“Sho,” he moaned, panting heavily as he mouthed across the curve of his jaw, towards that sensitive spot just below his ear. “I need— _now_ , Sho.”  
  
Jun didn’t care how he sounded, every second that Sho made him wait causing him to press insistently against his body, digging his fingers into soft skin with an urgency he couldn’t control.  
  
Sho responded with a sudden twist of his fingers that had Jun biting down on the juncture between Sho’s neck and his shoulder, sinking his teeth into the taut flesh. The fingers disappeared, leaving an aching emptiness that he begged to be filled. Jun hooked one leg around Sho to urge him to move faster, pleas coming now in a whimpered stream that Sho hushed with a distracting kiss.  
  
Even as Jun grew more insistent, Sho didn’t cave to his demands. He took the time to to make sure they were both ready, shifting Jun into position and lining himself up carefully, until that first press of his cock inside him came, finally; an instant, overwhelming relief that had Jun crying out loudly.  
  
The younger Sho of his memories probably would have moved fast and unsteady, too needy for his own release. But the Sho in front of him kept all of his attention on Jun. He offset heavy thrusts with gentle touches, never letting his eyes stray from Jun’s face for too long as he looked down at him with an expression that made Jun’s insides curl up.  
  
“Jun…ah… _Jun_.”  
  
Sho’s voice was thick and heavy, his ragged breaths turning into moans. Jun’s name became a mantra that punctuated his thrusts in between strangled gasps, becoming increasingly desperate until Jun felt like he was losing himself into an endless void where only the two of them existed.  
  
It was almost too much.  
  
He was already coming closer now, too close, to the release that begged through his body, aching with the desire to just let go. But Jun needed to hold onto this a little while longer. His hands clutched at the sheets, balling into fists, as he forced himself not to reach down to take hold of his cock, so painfully heavy where it remained untouched.  
  
Sho’s free hand sought one of his and he lifted it away to hold it above his head, entwining their fingers together. It became an anchoring point for Jun, and he tightened his grip to try stave off the flood of emotions that threatened to overwhelm him, choking his throat so that his moans became sobs.  
  
All it took was a single stroke of Sho’s hand on his cock for Jun to finally come. It was dizzying; blood rushing to his head and pounding through his ears, a blinding wave that drowned him until he was brought back by the deep, guttural sound of Sho’s voice calling his name as he collapsed above him.  
  
Jun lay there, barely able to muster any energy left to respond to Sho when he kissed him, slow and sweet.  
  
Something uncurled inside him at that: a last knot buried deep in the pit of his stomach. He clung to the feeling, letting the warm glow of pleasure wash over the muddled thoughts that brushed the back of his mind, and dropped his head back onto the pillow as sleep overcame him.

 

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Jun awoke to a heavy weight on his thighs and a tickling sensation at his navel.  
  
He opened his eyes blearily and looked down his body to see Sho lying on top of him, lightly tracing a finger around his abdomen. His eyes locked on Jun’s.  
  
“Can I?” he asked, pulling at Jun’s waistband.  
  
Jun nodded and Sho pulled the band down, lifting Jun’s half-hard cock out of his pants. He moved his hand slowly over the shaft, coaxing Jun to full hardness. Jun let his head fall back onto the pillows, closing his eyes as he focused on the feel of Sho touching him, the rough friction of his hand working him over with steady strokes.  
  
The first tentative touch of Sho’s tongue to Jun’s cock had his stomach clenching. Sho kept his pace slow, licking a long line up the shaft before tonguing the slit gently. He moved his lips over to take the head into his mouth, sucking just enough to keep Jun frustrated, wanting more. Fingers traced down his thighs and Jun shivered at the feather-light touches.  
  
Sho moved his mouth away from Jun’s cock, and his hips snapped up instinctively at the loss. The hand at the base of his cock squeezed an admonition. Sho shifted, and placed his forearms along Jun’s thighs, resting his weight there so Jun couldn’t move.  
  
Without the use of his hands keep Jun’s cock steady, it was somewhat more difficult for Sho to get it back into his mouth. Jun felt the way his lips wrapped themselves cautiously over the tip before lifting Jun’s cock up, sliding it into welcoming heat. He didn’t tease or move away this time: just inched himself further down the shaft with each bob of his head, until he could almost take the full length.  
  
Images began to flash in Jun’s mind as Sho continued sucking in earnest. He could see Sho clearly: the way he’d strain himself to keep a steady pace, taking as much of Jun as he could; the way that sweat would bead on his forehead and mat his hair to his face; the way his lips would glisten and his eyes would bulge as he worked himself over Jun’s cock, faster and faster.  
  
Jun opened his eyes.  
  
Stretched back as he was, he didn’t have the good angle to see Sho he’d imagined. Mostly just a mop of black hair moving between his thighs, glimpses of eyelids turned down as Sho kept focused on his task.  
  
With some effort, he pushed himself up onto his forearms, causing a muffled protest from Sho at the sudden movement. Jun would have apologised but he was distracted by the way the noises reached his cock, sending vibrations that had him gasping at the feeling.  
  
He reach one hand over to thread fingers through Sho’s hair, tugging the locks slightly. Sho looked up from under his lashes—so full of desire, creating such a pretty picture. He slowed his movements, keeping his eyes locked on Jun’s as his lips slid over his cock.  
  
It was definitely better this way. Jun ached to tighten his grip, needing some point of release for the tension that stretched tight through his body.  
  
Sho drew his head up so just the tip of Jun’s cock remained in his mouth and stilled. His eyes held firm on Jun as he waited there, patiently, forcing Jun to take the next step. Jun curled his fingers against Sho’s scalp, and was rewarded with a light suck that signalled his encouragement. The pressure on his thighs shifted, and Jun was free to move again.  
  
He pushed carefully at the back of Sho’s head, heat flaring in his stomach at how easily Sho responded to his touch. A light tug had him moving back again, still maintaining heavy eye contact the entire way.  
  
Jun tried an experimental thrust of his hips the next press down. Slow and short, not wanting to push Sho past his limits. He repeated the action, growing bolder with Sho’s constant look of reassurance.  
  
It was awkward to keep his movements steady in his position but Jun soon got used to it, spurred on by the complete control Sho was giving him. Exhilaration flooded through his veins at every small, muffled moan Sho made as he allowed Jun to fuck his mouth.  
  
His body was still too exhausted to keep going for too long, and Jun had to let his hand drop away from Sho’s head to use both arms to hold himself up. Sho picked up the slack, moving his mouth to meet Jun’s thrusts, lips tightening and sucking until he brought Jun to climax.  
  
Jun collapsed back onto the bed as he rode out his orgasm, feeling the last of his energy drain away when Sho slowly released his over-sensitive cock. His head was heavy as it hit the pillow, eyes already fluttering shut.  
  
Warmth enveloped him, and he could feel the weight of Sho’s body as he climbed up the bed to lean against Jun’s side. The husky whisper of Sho’s voice tickled his ear.  
  
“I thought you might enjoy being woken up like this. Help you appreciate the morning a bit more.”  
  
Jun rolled his head over towards Sho and cracked a single eyelid open, squinting at Sho’s face hovering above him. His eyes were shining, and his hair framed his face in messy tufts that stuck out at odd angles.  
  
Jun smiled. “Certainly can’t complain.”  
  
Sho returned the smile and he reached out a hand to brush Jun’s hair off his forehead, fingers gentle as they smoothed over his skin.  
  
He froze, suddenly, face shifting into a nervous hesitance. “Is this okay?” Sho’s words came soft and raw with vulnerability. “I mean… everything that happened. It’s fine, right?”  
  
Still somewhere between the blissful afterglow of orgasm and the haziness of burgeoning sleep, Jun felt no motivation to put his guard up and conceal his true feelings from Sho. “I wanted this,” he said, shifting his head slightly to better meet Sho’s eyes. “Wanted you. Always have.”  
  
Relief curled through Sho’s face into a small smile that turned sad as he trailed his fingers down the side of Jun’s cheek.  
  
“I’m sorry. I—"  
  
Sho was silenced by Jun's mouth suddenly covering his, cutting off his words with a firm kiss. It was a bit of a cheap move, but Jun wasn't in a state right then to deal with whatever Sho was about to say. He wanted to stay exactly where he was, in a place of easy pleasure and uncomplicated happiness.  
  
Sho didn't seem to mind the interruption, melting into the kiss and moving to deepen it until Jun broke away, wrinking his nose.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
“Your breath is kind of killing the mood right now.”  
  
Sho laughed and rolled off him. “I guess I’ll go fix that then.” His apology seemed forgotten, and Jun clamped down on the small feeling of guilt he felt.  
  
It was easy enough to forget when Sho climbed off the bed and walked over to his discarded clothes, giving Jun a hypnotising view of that perfect backside as he bent down to retrieve his underwear.  
  
“There’s a spare toothbrush in the top drawer,” he said when Sho stood up straight again, slightly disappointed that he didn’t get a longer chance to look before Sho slipped his briefs back on.  
  
Sho flashed him a smile over his shoulder before leaving the room, fortunately not bothering to dress himself any further. Jun had a lot of plans for Sho that day, and they mostly involved him wearing as little as possible.  
  
He knew that first he would also have to get up; his whole body felt sticky and in desperate need of a shower. But it was too hard in that moment, with the soft pillows providing welcoming comfort for his heavy head, so Jun let his eyes drift shut as he curled into the blankets and soon enough found sleep.

 

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The scent of coffee was the first thing Jun noticed when he began to rouse from his slumber. He rubbed his face and opened his eyes to see Sho, sitting on the edge of the bed next to him, holding two mugs in his hand.  
  
“How long have you been sitting there?” said Jun, still feeling half-asleep. His throat was heavy and his voice cracked slightly as he spoke. “It’s kind of creepy to watch people while they sleep.”  
  
Sho just smiled. “You should be more grateful to the person bringing you coffee.” He passed over one of the mugs and Jun sat up awkwardly, trying to force his stiff muscles to co-operate so that he wouldn’t spill any of it.  
  
The coffee burned as it hit the back of his throat, and Jun savoured the bitter taste. He drank quickly, finishing half of the mug before looking back at Sho. “Thanks,” he said, pulling the mug away from his lips. “Sorry for falling asleep again.”  
  
“It’s okay. I had a shower while you were out.”  
  
Jun could tell. Sho’s hair was still damp and he smelled like Jun’s shampoo. It was a little disconcerting. Not thinking about what he was doing, Jun leaned forward to chase the scent.  
  
Sho stiffened when Jun got a little too close. “Now who’s the creepy one?”  
  
Jun ignored him, too busy trying to catch the subtle hints of Sho’s scent hidden under notes of citrus. He pulled back and passed his mug over to Sho before lifting away the bed sheets that still covered him. “I need to shower too.”  
  
Sho’s eyes immediately drifted down his naked body. “I talked to Nino,” he said, gaze not lifting from where it was fixed on Jun. “He said that Aiba’s coming back today. His arm is all fixed, apparently.”  
  
Jun smirked, and swivelled his body around to shift closer to Sho, almost straddling him to talk directly into his ear. “Yeah? And how long do we have until then?”  
  
“Not sure,” said Sho, forcing his eyes back up to look at Jun’s face. “But it’s already almost midday and they were talking about meeting up for lunch, so probably not long.”  
  
Jun sighed loudly, head dropping back. “I don’t trust them not to come barging in here at any second then.” He pulled away from Sho and swung his legs around the side of the bed. “Better that I go clean myself up before that happens.”  
  
“Do you… think you might need some help with that?”  
  
It was a thoroughly terrible attempt at sounding seductive and Jun was torn between rolling his eyes and laughing. He settled for a pointed, unimpressed look. “Not unless you’re willing to risk Aiba walking in on us doing more than showering together.”  
  
Sho raised his eyebrows. “I might be.”  
  
Jun did laugh at that. “No. Stay.”  
  
Tempting as it was to take the chance to repay Sho for the earlier morning’s activities, Jun was proven to have made the right choice in turning him down. He’d only just turned the shower on when he heard the sound of his front door opening above the spray.  
  
“Jun? Sho?” It was Nino’s voice calling them. “Aiba’s going to be here in about ten seconds so you might want to stop whatever it is you’re doing before I have to provide him with an awkward explanation that I don’t really want to give.”  
  
Jun rolled his eyes. He wasn’t sure if he was more exasperated with Nino’s assumption that they would be in some kind of compromising position, or that he’d given them nowhere near enough warning to do something about it if they had been.  
  
It hardly seemed worth it to try to respond, so he left it to Sho to greet their guests and stepped into the shower. The hot spray provided much-needed relief to his stiff muscles, but he didn’t take the time to languish as he normally would, instead rushing himself as much as possible so not to spend too much time away from the others.  
  
When Jun turned the shower off, he could hear their loud conversation filtering through from the other room. He dressed quickly and left the bathroom to be greeted by the sight of Sho joined by Aiba and Nino, seated around his small dining table.  
  
“Jun!” Aiba immediately lit up at his entrance and Jun smiled at him. “You need to come tell me all about what happened while you were gone. Sho was just telling me about that guy on Kuroakami.”  
  
“Won’t it get a bit repetitive hearing the same thing over? And where's Ohno?”  
  
"Working," replied Nino. Jun nodded. He'd have to head over to the shop soon then.  
  
“I don’t want to miss any details,” said Aiba, pouting. “Nino sucks at telling stories.”  
  
“If you want a proper story, you shouldn’t wake people up by smothering them, idiot.”  
  
“Hey!”  
  
“I swear, I thought I was going to die, you really—”  
  
Nino was cut off by Aiba flinging a hand out to cover his mouth, accidentally bumping his nose in the process. He recoiled, and retaliated with a swift jab to Aiba’s shoulder, which caused them to dissolve into a fit of playful bickering that had Sho laughing at the display.  
  
It was the kind of scene Jun hadn’t seen in a long time, and it hurt a little to realise just how much he’d missed it.  
  
“Can the story wait for me to cook something?” he asked once they’d all settled down. “I’m starving.”  
  
“Oh! I brought food.” Aiba moved to get out of his chair. “It’s just in the kitchen—we were waiting for you to start.”  
  
“You stay. I’ll go get it.” Jun waved at Aiba to sit back down and moved to the kitchen.  
  
He was just transferring the contents of the containers of food Aiba left in the fridge onto plates when he felt the warm press of a body envelope him from behind.  
  
“Need a hand?”  
  
Jun placed the container he was holding down and smiled. “I can’t exactly do much with you standing there like that.”  
  
Sho made a small murmur of response and pressed tighter, his face burying into Jun’s hair.  
  
Jun frowned. “Are you smelling me?”  
  
“Payback.”  
  
Jun turned around and raised his eyebrows at Sho. “You do realise we smell the same right now? You used all my shower products.”  
  
Sho responded with a lazy smile.  
  
“No. You smell better.”  
  
Jun was far too close to kissing Sho right there and then. Instead, he rolled his eyes and pushed away the hand that had come to rest on his waist before reaching back for one of the plates of food on the counter. “Take this,” he said, shoving the plate at Sho’s chest.  
  
Sho took the plate and left, but not before giving Jun a last lingering look that caused a tendril of heat to unfurl in the pit of his stomach.  
  
It was incredibly difficult to concentrate on any conversation during lunch when Sho was sitting directly across from him being incredibly distracting. Not that he was doing it on purpose; it was just that Jun couldn’t help but be captivated by how expressive Sho’s face was—the way he lit up with unreserved pleasure at every new mouthful of food he tasted, and the crinkle of his eyes when he laughed, mouth falling wide open.  
  
After too much time spent trying, and failing, to look elsewhere, Sho finally caught him staring. The initial surprise on his face was quickly replaced by a casual smugness that made Jun consider kicking him under the table.  
  
“So, Sho.” Aiba’s voice pulled Sho’s attention away from Jun. “Are you going to stay with me until you leave?”  
  
Sho’s eyes flickered back to Jun for the briefest of moments before he frowned at Aiba, confused. “Ah—”  
  
“You’re not going to leave straight away, right? I mean, won’t you stay here for at least a few days?”  
  
Jun’s chopsticks stilled against his plate.  
  
“Right. Uh, it won’t be too much of an imposition for me to stay with you?”  
  
“Of course not! You’re always welcome here.”  
  
Jun could hear Aiba smiling as he spoke but he wasn’t looking at Aiba. His eyes were trained squarely on Sho, trying to read meaning into the look on his face.  
  
Sho met Aiba’s smile with one of his own. “Thanks, Aiba. That’ll be great until I figure out what I’m doing.”  
  
Jun looked away.  
  
Aiba started talking again, but it was little more than static to his ears. He kept just focused enough to field any questions thrown his way, letting the others' casual laughter drift over him as he made his way slowly through the rest of his meal.  
  
He was all too aware of every glance Sho shot his way. Jun didn't look back.

 

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Washing dishes was never as enjoyable for Jun as cooking, but occasionally he found it soothing. Hot, soapy water puckered his skin as he scrubbed the plates from lunch clean, holding each of them up for a careful scrutiny to make sure no specks of food remained.  
  
“Can I help?”  
  
Jun didn’t turn around to look at Sho. “I’m almost finished.”  
  
“Where are your tea towels? I’ll dry.”  
  
“Don’t. I prefer to let them air-dry.”  
  
“Oh.”  
  
There was only one plate left. Jun held it under the water in the sink, slowly running a sponge over the surface.  
  
Sho didn’t move to leave.  
  
“Sorry about before.” Jun could feel Sho moving closer behind him. “I wasn’t sure how to say no to Aiba. But I can go back and tell him I’ll be staying here instead. If you like.”  
  
Jun shrugged. “It would be hard to explain. I only have the one bed.”  
  
“Right.”  
  
It was hard not to be able to see Sho’s facial expressions as he responded, only going off the tone of his voice, but Jun thought it would be harder still to face him directly right then. He pulled the plate he was holding out from the water and rinsed it before putting it onto the rack behind the others.  
  
“Are you going to move your stuff over to Aiba’s now?”  
  
“I thought maybe we—”  
  
“You should.” He turned around then, keeping his face casually impassive. “Spend some more time with Aiba and Nino. I need to check in with Ohno about the shop anyway.”  
  
Sho frowned, mouth opening to say something and then falling shut again. Jun put down the towel he’d been using to dry his hands and made to leave, walking past Sho.  
  
He wasn’t really surprised when Sho stopped him with a hand to his arm.  
  
“Hey.” His eyes were practically level with Jun’s and impossible to avoid. “We’ll continue where we left off before later, okay?”  
  
Jun held Sho’s gaze but he didn’t quite smile. “Okay.”


	5. Chapter 5

“You don’t seem very celebratory tonight.”  
  
Jun looked over at his shoulder at Nino, sliding into the seat next to him, and shrugged.  
  
It was supposed to be a party that night. Aiba had insisted the five of them gather at his bar, the first time they’d all been together in years, to celebrate their happy return. He’d been doing his best to keep the atmosphere full of high spirits, supplying them all with endless drinks and starting his own one-man dance party that seemed to be keeping Sho and Ohno entertained, if their laughter was anything to go by.  
  
But Jun was finding it hard to be so relaxed. Even putting aside his current confusion as far as Sho was concerned, there were still the doubts that had been gnawing at him ever since the conversation he had with Nino on Arashi. He couldn’t help but feel that their happiness would be short-lived.  
  
“It seems a little premature,” he said, downing the last of his drink. Nino reached over the counter to take one of the bottles sitting there and refilled Jun’s glass for him before pouring on of his own.  
  
“You’re still worried about the Ikuchi.”  
  
Jun took a sip of his drink and looked back at Nino. “Aren’t you?”  
  
Nino gave him an assessing stare, lips pursing slightly into a thoughtful frown. “Not much good comes from sitting around worrying about what they might be up to.”  
  
“Not much good comes from sitting around doing nothing either.”  
  
Jun watched carefully as Nino put his glass back down on the countertop and turned to face Jun properly, eyes becoming more serious. He tossed his head gently, flicking back the hair that fell over his face,  
  
“You want to go after them. Confront the Ikuchi directly.”  
  
It wasn’t really a question. Jun held his gaze, tapping his finger lightly against the side of his glass, and then nodded. He was about to say something further, already opening his mouth to speak, when he was interrupted by a voice behind him.  
  
“You can’t be serious.”  
  
Jun turned around on his stool to see Sho standing there, eyes wide open in disbelief. He glanced at Nino briefly and sighed.  
  
“About going after the Ikuchi?” Sho just stared at him. “I am.”  
  
“No.”  
  
Now it was Jun’s turn to feel disbelief, not expecting the flat rejection. “No?”  
  
“Why would you even think about it?” Sho moved closer to him, not losing the alarmed look on his face. Jun was starting to find it incredibly annoying.  
  
“Why not? The Ikuchi want us dead, Sho. The last few weeks proved that.”  
  
“And we were lucky to get through them alive. Now you want to ruin that?”  
  
“It’s not about what I want, Sho.” Jun could feel his temper rising, like a switch had flipped the moment Sho challenged him. “It’s about dealing with reality. Do you really think they’re just going to leave us be when they know we’re here?”  
  
“I don’t know, Jun, but I’d say it’s safer for you to stay here than to go flying off on some suicide mission.”  
  
Jun scoffed. “Maybe that’s fine for you to say if you’re just going to leave again, but I’m sorry if I don’t want to just wait around for the next attack.”  
  
Sho’s face fell and he pulled away, taken aback.  
  
“Hey,” Nino interrupted. “Calm down. There’s no need to turn this into a fight.”  
  
Jun had forgotten for a minute that they weren’t alone. He looked around the room, seeing that the argument had clearly reached the attention of Aiba and Ohno; they stood still where they’d been dancing, looking over at Jun and Sho with twin expressions of concern.  
  
He turned back to Sho and pitched his voice low. “I thought you would understand. You were so ready to go against them before.”  
  
“That was different.” Sho wouldn’t meet his eyes anymore. “We had to for Nino.”  
  
The silence fell heavy between them. Jun was saved from saying any further harsh words that threatened to spill from the tip of his tongue by Aiba approaching them, with an attempt at a hesitant smile to cut through the tension.  
  
“Everything okay?” He placed one hand on Sho’s shoulder as he stepped between them, and reached out to Jun as if to do the same with his other hand, before stopping short and pulling back into a loose fist that dangled awkwardly in the air. “What’s going on?”  
  
Neither Sho nor Jun looked at Aiba, stuck in a strange staring contest where Jun’s eyes were locked on Sho and Sho’s were on the floor. “It’s nothing,” said Jun, not shifting his gaze.  
  
“Jun wants to go after the Ikuchi.”  
  
Jun looked sharply at Nino then, a scowl forming on his face at the unwanted interjection. His eyes moved back to Aiba, who was looking at him with confusion.  
  
“But why? Nino’s back now.”  
  
Jun sighed. He leaned back in his seat and tried to unclench the hard set of his jaw before responding to Aiba, though it was hard to push down the frustration he felt. “I’m worried about what they’re going to do next."  
  
This earned a slow head tilt from Aiba. “So you think we need to take action first?”  
  
“Well—”  
  
Sho’s head snapped up and he looked at Jun. “Can I talk to you for a minute? Outside?”  
  
Jun frowned. “Can’t it wait.”  
  
“No.” Sho stepped forward, not sparing a glance for anyone else. “Please.”  
  
It was uncomfortable to stay sitting there when everyone was staring at him, waiting for his reaction with a strange expectation that Jun could feel right down to his bones, so he stood up. Sho immediately reached out to grab his hand, pulling Jun behind him and not looking back at the others as he walked towards the door with a determination that surprised Jun into compliance.  
  
As soon as they were outside, he pulled his hand free of Sho's hold. “What?” he said flatly, not hiding the irritation in his voice.  
  
“Explain what that was in there.”  
  
Jun frowned. “I wanted to figure out the best way to deal with the Ikuchi.”  
  
“Not that.” Sho drew closer, eyes almost scary in their intensity. “What were you saying about me leaving again?” Jun stiffened and looked away. “Is that what you think, Jun? That after everything that happened, I’m still just going to up and go? Or is that what you’re hoping for?”  
  
"Maybe," he snapped.  
  
There was silence then. It stretched between them for too long, and Jun started shivering in the cold night air. Or perhaps that was due to the weight of Sho’s stare, so heavy with accusation.  
  
He sighed and looked down. “I don’t know,” he admitted, voice sounding pathetic even to his own ears. “You’ve been gone for so long and now you’re suddenly back and I don’t know what you’re planning on doing. I don’t know what you want.”  
  
“I want you.”  
  
Jun looked at him then. “It’s hardly been three weeks, Sho.”  
  
“I’ve known you for a lot longer than three weeks.”  
  
Sho frowned slightly and took a small step back. Some of the intensity dropped from his face, shoulders slumping, and he looked at Jun with a resigned sadness that made his chest tighten with regret.  
  
“I’ve had time to think about this. It was never my intention to come back here and just disappear again, not if you gave me any reason to think you wanted me to stay.” His frown deepened. “Was that wrong of me?”  
  
Jun wasn’t sure what to say to that. It was so easy before to feel that it was right, when he was caught in the flow of the moment and Sho was there in front of him, giving him everything he always wanted, but reality was starting to hit. And Jun couldn’t figure out if reality had a place for the two of them in it together, not when they couldn’t even go a day without falling into a fight.  
  
He hated this. Jun always prided himself on knowing what it is he wanted and going after it with everything he had; he didn’t give up on what was important to him. Everything just always seemed different when it came to Sho. He couldn’t quite seem to reconcile those years of resentment with the knowledge that he’d never truly wanted anybody else.  
  
The breeze picked up, sending icy pinpricks into his exposed skin, and Jun pressed his arms tighter against his sides. He could see Sho’s lips were already turning purple and it annoyed him to notice that his first thought was to want to warm them with his own lips.  
  
It seemed like enough of an answer, but part of him hesitated.  
  
“I just… I need time,” he said, not hiding his gaze from Sho any longer. “To adjust. Maybe we rushed everything too much.”  
  
“I can wait.” Sho stepped forward, his breath coming visible in small puffs of condensation between them. “It’s not like I thought this would be easy, but I want to try.” His fingers reached out to touch the top of Jun’s wrist. “Do you still want to try? With me?”  
  
Just that simple touch was enough to send a bolt of electricity running up his arm. Jun tried to concentrate on anything else, needing to clear the heavy muddle of his thoughts so he could figure out how to respond.  
  
Sho was patient as he waited for Jun. He hesitated a fraction longer and nodded.  
  
The smile that curled onto Sho's lips made it worth it. “I’m glad.” He glanced over at the door, fingers remaining where they were. “We should go back inside.”  
  
Jun sighed. “I probably need to apologise for ruining the party.”  
  
“Well, the timing could have been better, but it’s something that we do need to talk about.” Sho looked at Jun and pressed his fingers closer, sliding them around to take hold of his wrist. “I didn’t actually mean to start a fight with you before. You know, you get this look in your eyes sometimes like you’re ready to take on the entire world and it scares me.”  
  
Sho moved his other hand up to cup Jun’s face. His fingers were cold, but Jun leaned into the touch.  
  
“I’m on your side, Jun. Don’t forget that.”  
  
Neither of them made to move for a moment. They stood there, looking at each other in silence until Jun felt some kind of mutual understanding pass between them and Sho’s hand slid away from Jun’s face. The desire to reach out to stop him burned at Jun’s fingertips, but he just waited for Sho to turn around and leave.  
  
When they returned to the bar, the others were huddled around where Jun had been sitting previously, deep in conversation. Jun stiffened and slowed as he walked over to join them, feeling awkward.  
  
Ohno caught sight of him first. “Ah, Jun.” His face was still a little flushed, eyes not entirely focused. “You really know how to liven up a party.”  
  
He laughed a little then, but Jun didn’t really see what was funny.  
  
“So,” said Nino, “did you have any idea of how exactly you were planning on taking down an entire crime syndicate solo?”  
  
Jun bit his bottom lip. “No.”  
  
“Well it’s a good thing you have us then, isn’t it?” said Aiba, slapping a hand to Jun’s back and smiling.  
  
His throat tightened at the sight of the people in front of him, so ready to want to help him even knowing the danger it would involve. “I didn’t intend to drag everyone into this,” he said, no longer filled with the same fight as earlier.  
  
Nino clicked his teeth dismissively. “Shush, it’s my time to talk.” He leaned forward on his stool, propping his elbows on his knees. “We’re all agreed on this. But we also agree that if we’re going to pull this off, we’ll need help.”  
  
“And, uh, also…of course we want to stop them, but, I mean…” Aiba danced around his words in that way he always did when he was about to say something uncomfortable. “I don’t think we’re really up to just… shooting everyone down. Right, Ohno?”  
  
Ohno turned to Jun and just looked at him for a moment, quietly considering.  
  
“I’m not sure if this is right for me to say after everything we did in the past, but I never wanted to go back to that kind of fighting if I could help it.” His eyes were steady as he spoke, clearer than they were before. “It’s a hard thing to do, Jun.”  
  
Jun swallowed thickly. “It’s not like I want that either.”  
  
Something cold touched the back of his hand and Jun took a moment to realise it was Sho, reaching down squeeze Jun’s hand with his own. He couldn’t quite manage to respond before Sho pulled away, but his skin tingled with the ghost of the touch.  
  
Aiba’s eyes flickered at the gesture and a puzzled frown flashed across his face for an instant. “I guess what we’re trying to say is that it would be ideal if we could find a way to pull this off that’s not so violent.”  
  
“Avoid getting our hands too dirty,” said Nino. “Which likely means finding someone else to do the dirty work for us. Someone who has almost as much reason to want to see the Ikuchi taken care of.”  
  
“A rival syndicate,” Jun said just at the same time as Sho said, “Police.” They looked at each other for a second, hesitant.  
  
“Either would be options.” Nino shrugged. “Just depends what we can make work.”  
  
“And what can we make work?” Jun wanted to follow along with the others but he was having difficulty seeing the full picture. “I don’t think we can just go to the police and ask them nicely to please take care of our problem for us.”  
  
“But it’s their job, right?” said Aiba. “They should be grateful for us giving them the opportunity to take down an entire syndicate.”  
  
Sho frowned. “In an ideal world, maybe.”  
  
“Can’t we put some faith in idealism for once?”  
  
“Aiba’s not wrong,” said Nino. Jun looked at him with surprise, not having expected him to say that. “Except instead of hoping for the best, we have to think about how we can change the conditions needed to create an ideal situation.”  
  
“I’m guessing you have some ideas already?” asked Sho.  
  
Nino looked at him. “What are the main things standing in the way of the police going after the Ikuchi if we tell them where they are?”  
  
“Resources? It takes a lot of manpower to successfully capture an entire syndicate ship, and they’re not likely to want to even try without the guarantee of results.”  
  
“So we stack the odds,” said Jun. He looked at Nino. “That’s where you’re going with this, right?”  
  
A small smile formed on Nino’s face at Jun’s display of understanding. “Make the Ikuchi powerless enough that taking them out becomes an easy win.”  
  
“And we do that how?”  
  
“Oh!” Jun turned his head at Aiba’s interruption. “That stuff you got from the old guy on Kuroakami. Surely we can use it?”  
  
“That’s what I’m hoping.” Nino looked pleased. “I took the liberty of playing around with that program he gave you this afternoon. I think I’d be able to use it to cause a total systems shut-down on their ship, leaving them pretty defenceless.”  
  
It seemed that Nino had already been giving the matter some thought of his own, which made Jun feel rather relieved. He only wished Nino had mentioned something to him earlier, although it was entirely probable he’d been planning to before Sho had interrupted them.  
  
There was little point in dwelling on it in any case. “So the basic plan is to find the Ikuchi, mess with their ship, and leave them vulnerable enough that they won’t be able to resist when a police force comes hunting them down? Which we also have to arrange somehow.”  
  
They looked at Sho. He nodded slowly, with a steady determination on his face. “I’ll see what I can do about that.”  
  
Aiba was the first to break into a happy smile. “I think this is going to work.” He flung his arms across Jun and Nino’s shoulders on either side of him. “We can do this.”  
  
“There’s still a lot we need to figure out,” stressed Jun. Despite knowing that was something of an understatement, he felt himself soften at Aiba’s optimistic expression. “But you’re probably right.”  
  
“Of course I am. What can’t we do with the five of us together?”  
  
Nino nudged Ohno on the stool next to him. “You haven’t fallen asleep there have you, old man?”  
  
“No.” Even as he said it, his eyes were barely open. “I agree with Aiba.”  
  
“I think maybe we need to call it a night,” said Jun. He moved forward to take hold of Ohno’s arms and tugged gently until Ohno toppled off the stool with more grace than he should have been capable of at that moment.  
  
Ohno looked up at Jun and reached a hand up to pat his face. “You should stay. Have another drink.” He frowned slightly. “Don’t fight with Sho anymore."  
  
Jun felt his face flush. “I won’t.” His eyes flickered over to Sho unconsciously for a split-second. “But it’s late and I should get up early tomorrow for work.” Jun nodded at the other three. “We’ll talk more tomorrow.”  
  
He turned to leave, still holding onto Ohno next to him. Before he did, his eyes lingered on Sho for a final second, as if searching for an answer to the uneasiness he felt.  
  
It was hard to look away.

 

─────────────

  
  
  
Jun was in his office attempting to settle the accounts that had been neglected in his absence when Nino found him.  
  
“Got a minute?” he asked, walking into the room.  
  
Jun nodded, and Nino moved to prop himself onto the corner of the desk in front of where Jun was sitting.  
  
“I’ve been putting some feelers out. Trying to see what options we might have for pulling this off.”  
  
That wasn’t news to Jun. He knew that both Nino and Sho had spent the past few days since their discussion at Aiba’s bar reaching out to every contact they had in the hopes of finding some information that might be of use to them. Jun’s own contacts weren’t nearly so diverse—he had an old friend who was police, but he didn’t expect much help from him. Nino and Sho were far better equipped for this kind of work.  
  
He leaned back in his chair and cocked a questioning eyebrow at Nino. “And?”  
  
“Nothing super promising so far.” Nino ran a finger over a small dent on the side of the desk, flicking his fingernail against the groove. “The Ikuchi seem to have gone pretty off-grid. Maybe they’re feeling wary after Riisa set up that meeting and didn’t show. Or maybe they’re just being cautious of the police. The one thing I did manage to find out is that they’ve got some kind of important deal coming up—probably why they haven’t been bothering any further with us yet.”  
  
“Any details on this deal?”  
  
“Not that anyone’s telling me. But I’ll keep working on it.”  
  
Jun considered that. It wasn’t bad news exactly—it at least gave them a starting point, even if he still didn’t know what they possibly might be able to do—but it wasn’t much. He didn’t think it seemed like the kind of news Nino would seek him out specifically to share when the entire group met up every night for dinner.  
  
“What are you not saying?”  
  
It took a few seconds for Nino to respond. “There might be another option.” He looked at Jun properly then. “Sho told me about what you got from Kuroakami.”  
  
Jun nodded slowly.  
  
“My friend was generous: he gave you some very valuable tech. The kind of tech some people would be willing to pay a lot for. It definitely wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine that some might see it worthwhile to put some extra effort into taking care of one of their competitors in exchange for getting their hands on what we have.”  
  
Jun’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Nino. “Your friend didn’t sell his tech to us so we could just turn around and sell it to some syndicate.”  
  
“Maybe so.” Nino stretched back and tilted his head. “But if it weren’t for him? It’s a tempting idea, isn’t it? Solve our problem in one, easy move.”  
  
Nino’s gaze held level with Jun but his face was hard to read. Jun frowned.  
  
“I wouldn’t want to make a deal like that. That’s not who we are.”  
  
Nino stayed still for a moment and then nodded. “Just checking.” With that, he slid off the desk and headed for the door, leaving Jun stuck in a confused fog that made him unable to even think of any response.  
  
He stopped just before he left the room. “Sho wants to see you by the way. He’s out front.”  
  
Jun's frown deepened as he watched Nino disappear. Still feeling thrown by Nino’s questioning, he decided it was best to try put it aside for the moment and go find out what Sho wanted from him.  
  
He walked out of the main entrance to his office and stopped in his tracks at the sight of a ship stationed in front of the workshop hangar. It wasn’t at all unusual to see ships there, so Jun shouldn’t have been so surprised; he just hadn’t been expecting to see that particular ship.  
  
Sho was nowhere to be found at first, but then he appeared from behind the other side of the ship. He waved as soon as he caught sight of Jun, and jogged over to greet him.  
  
“You got _Chesuto_ back,” said Jun, nodding at the familiar red ship behind them. It looked to be in remarkably better condition than the last time he saw it, and he wondered how Sho had even arranged to get it repaired considering how preoccupied they’d been of late.  
  
“I did,” said Sho, lifting a hand above his face to shield his eyes from the sun. “Ohno fixed it up for me. Said it was a birthday present.”  
  
“Your birthday was months ago.” Jun frowned. “And why didn’t I know Ohno was working on it?”  
  
Sho shrugged. “He moved it into the other hangar before we got back. I guess he wanted it to be a surprise.”  
  
Jun nodded slowly, not really sure of what else to say to that. He kept his gaze fixed just above Sho’s shoulder, as if he was busy examining the ship. Even with Sho acting casual and friendly as he was, Jun couldn’t quite look directly at him, still feeling awkward about the other night.  
  
“Nino said you wanted me?” he said finally, and cringed at his choice of phrasing.  
  
It took Sho a few seconds to respond, and Jun’s breath held during the resulting silence, his stomach squirming with the need to flee the uncomfortable tension.  
  
“Ah. Right. I managed to call in some last remaining favours and wrangled myself a meeting with one of the higher-ups at the Eastern Branch of the IPD. I was planning to head over there now.” Sho paused, and Jun kept his face blank as he waited for him to continue, still not meeting his eyes. “I thought maybe you could come with me.”  
  
The request was enough to make Jun finally look at Sho properly, confusion overcoming him. Sho having an important contact at the IPD could prove to be the breakthrough they needed right now, but he didn’t need Jun to go with him. Jun knew he wasn’t likely to be an asset in any kind of negotiation; the main encounters he’d had with that particular branch of law enforcement had been under rather questionable circumstances.  
  
Sho shifted a step closer to him, still smiling though his expression became more serious. “I was thinking about what you said. And you’re right that we kind of jumped ahead of ourselves, but I don’t want to just write it all off as a mistake.” He paused. “I kinda thought that maybe could try going back to basics.”  
  
That explanation didn’t exactly relieve Jun’s confusion, but he couldn’t ignore the feeling of want that sprung up at the idea of trying to make it work between them. “Back to basics?” Jun cocked his head as he attempted to puzzle out what Sho was getting at. “So, what… like a date?”  
  
Sho laughed nervously. “Not a very good date, I admit. But best to start somewhere, right?” The way Sho smiled at him, so hopeful, made it hard to disagree. “There’s a detour to one of my favourite dumpling places in it for you on the way back if you come along.”  
  
Maybe it was strange to feel so hopelessly fond at such an awkward proposition, but Jun was starting to accept that he was a lost cause when it came to Sho. Even as he tried to fight it, he couldn’t help the wide smile that began to form on his face.  
  
“Fine,” he said, and was rewarded with the sight of Sho’s eyes lighting up, positively beaming. “I’m in. When do we leave?”  
  
“Whenever you want. I planned to head over there today.”  
  
Jun nodded. “Let me just tell Ohno first.” A thought suddenly struck him—it was stupid, and would probably get him into all sorts of trouble with Sho, but it seemed too good an opportunity to pass up. “Wait. Can you give me about twenty minutes? There’s just something I need before we go.”  
  
Sho looked at him with some confusion but he didn’t ask any questions. “Sure. I’ll just be here when you’re ready.”  
  
There was still time for Jun to change his mind, but a plan was already forming in his head. He tried to give Sho a reassuring smile, only feeling slightly guilty at the oblivious smile he received in return, and turned away to run back to his house.

 

─────────────

  
  
  
It only took them a few hours to reach the space station where the Eastern Headquarters of the Interplanetary Police Department were located. Jun expected the time to drag painfully, and it did at first. The awkwardness that punctuated Sho’s initial attempts at conversation soon turned into a stilted silence that only faded once Sho chose to blast music from the ship’s computer. Jun had forgotten about that particular habit of his, just as he had forgotten how enthusiastic Sho could become when listening to a favourite song. It was hard not to find himself laughing at Sho’s exaggerated expressions and silly, improvised lyrics, feeling himself transported to a time when spending such easy time together had been the norm for them.  
  
Sho never asked Jun about the bag he showed up with when they met back up to set off, which was a definite relief. He didn’t really have a good explanation for it, and he wanted to avoid letting Sho know what he was planning. It seemed better to beg forgiveness later.  
  
They had to hover outside the station for some time while their clearance was checked. Gaining access to IPD Headquarters was always highly difficult, so it was fortunate that Sho still had the connections he did to make the entire process run smoother.  
  
“You don’t need me to go to your meeting with you, do you?” Jun asked Sho as they sat there.  
  
Sho looked over at him with a puzzled frown. “No? Do you just want to sit here and wait for me?”  
  
“No.” Jun kept his eyes away from Sho as he spoke. “I have a friend at the IPD. Thought I’d pay him a visit.”  
  
“Oh.”  
  
The signal came through to let them know they’d been approved for entrance, and Sho had to return his attention to navigating the ship into the station to dock. There was a man waiting for them in the landing bay when they disembarked, wearing a normal grey suit instead of the usual police uniform.  
  
“Sakurai Sho?” he asked once they stood before him, looking between them expectantly. Sho stepped forward and bowed slightly, which the man returned. “I’m the Deputy Commissioner’s assistant. He asked me to bring you to his office when you arrived.”  
  
Jun raised his eyebrows. He should be used to Sho’s connections by now, but getting a meeting with the Deputy Commissioner himself on such short notice was certainly an impressive feat. And one that could surely help them with their plan, if anything would.  
  
“Will both of you be attending the meeting with the Deputy Commissioner.”  
  
Sho looked back at Jun. “No. Ah—”  
  
“I have other business,” said Jun, cutting in. “With Detective Eita? I don’t have an appointment or anything, but if someone could tell him that Matsumoto Jun is here to see him, he’ll know who I am.”  
  
The man frowned slightly but nodded. “If you take the elevator down to the ground floor, someone should be able to call him for you.”  
  
Jun smiled and looked at Sho. “I’ll meet you back on the ship when you’re done?”  
  
There was still some confusion on Sho’s face, though he tried to hide it in front of the stranger. “Okay,” he said. “I’ll see you soon.”

 

─────────────

  
  
  
By the time Jun returned to the ship, Sho was already there in the pilot’s seat, busy inputting commands into the navigation panel.  
  
“You’re back,” he said, eyes not leaving the screen. “I have to change our return journey a bit, but it shouldn’t take too much longer. How did it go with—”  
  
Sho stopped, mid-sentence, when he turned his head and caught sight of Jun.  
  
“Why are you wearing that?” he asked, eyes widening in alarm as he stared at Jun’s jacket.  
  
“I think it’s probably best if we leave now and talk later.” Jun settled into his seat and started pulling his jacket off.  
  
Sho didn’t move, horrified face still fixed on Jun. “That’s a police uniform.”  
  
“Yes.” Jun turned to Sho and raised his eyebrows pointedly at him. “Now, Sho. Let’s go.”  
  
Struggle passed over Sho’s features before he turned away, fumbling slightly as he reached for the controls. “Do I need to worry about the IPD chasing after me?” he asked once the ship was ready for departure.  
  
“No.” Jun looked around carefully for anything that seemed unusual as they left the dock. “Don’t worry, I didn’t do anything they would have noticed. But better not to hang around, just in case.”  
  
“And what exactly did you do?”  
  
“I told you, I was visiting a friend.” He grinned. “Had a nice little chat. I just happened to take a bit of a detour on the way back.”  
  
“A detour that required you to dress up in a police uniform?”  
  
“As well as this.” Jun pulled a small, rectangular object from his pocket. He knew Sho should recognise it instantly. “I needed it too if I wanted to get past those locked doors. Worked perfectly, by the way.”  
  
“Well, I certainly paid enough for it.” Sho groaned and tipped his head back, eyes screwing shut for a second. “I knew I should have asked you why you had that bag.”  
  
A twinge of guilt spiked through the thrill he’d been feeling ever since he’d made his way through the station undetected, and Jun feared he’d just ruined Sho’s attempt at reconciliation. “I shouldn’t have sprung this on you.”  
  
Sho sighed. “You shouldn’t have. Why didn’t you just tell me beforehand?”  
  
Jun looked at Sho’s hands resting on the dashboard. He counted the veins that ran prominent from sharp knuckles and slightly bent fingers. “Thought you’d freak out.”  
  
“With good reason!”  
  
“See? And I didn’t want you to worry in case you ruined your important meeting.”  
  
He looked back up at Sho’s face. His lips pursed as he stared resolutely ahead.  
  
Jun sighed. “I am sorry. Really.” Sho’s face softened a little bit at the apology. “I promise, I wouldn’t have tried anything if I thought I’d get into any trouble. But Nino and I did something similar once before and Eita does owe me a huge favour if I needed bailing out.”  
  
“At least tell me it was worth it?”  
  
“It was.” Jun reached deep into front pocket of his jeans and pulled out a tiny flash drive, holding it up between his fingers for Sho to see. “I managed to copy every bit of information I could pull up on the Ikuchi and any related organisations off their servers. Figured there has to be something there that will help us.”  
  
“We do seem a bit lacking in what we have at the moment,” Sho conceded. “Nino said he was having trouble with his sources and I haven’t gotten anything beyond what I already found out from the government.”  
  
“I also copied their network access codes.” That news received a less positive response, with Sho frowning slightly. “Look, I know you won’t like it, but if we’re going to end up relying on the IPD, then I want to be able to know what they’re up to. I’d rather not be blindsided.”  
  
Sho didn’t argue the point, so Jun supposed he could consider that a tacit acceptance. He put the flash drive back into his pocket.  
  
“That’s all I did. Information gathering. They’re not going to notice I did anything unless someone decides to look too closely at the security footage, and I made an effort to keep my face covered. I knew where most of the cameras were—for such an important place, the security inside the offices is ridiculously lax. No one even spared me a second glance.”  
  
There was still no further response from Sho, but his frown was fading. It probably helped that they were about to hit the jump gate and there had yet to be any sign of any IPD ships coming after them.  
  
What Jun neglected to mention to Sho was that the information he took went a bit beyond just files related to the Ikuchi. One thing he’d learned from experience was that it always helped to gather a few important secrets on whoever you intended on working with for the sake of insurance, and the IPD were far from clean. It wasn’t exactly that Jun wanted to do anything so drastic as blackmail the police, but he saw no harm in making sure to have as many aces up his sleeves as possible.  
  
He didn’t think Sho would feel quite the same way right then, however, so he chose to move the conversation to safer territory.  
  
“How did your meeting go?”  
  
Sho glanced at him for a second, as if suspecting Jun’s motives in changing topic, but he didn’t question it. “Good. Mostly. The IPD don’t have the resources to assign task forces for every criminal group out there, and the Ikuchi aren’t a priority for them right now. But being able to claim credit for taking down an entire syndicate is the kind of good press they’re won’t easily pass up.”  
  
“Which means we can maybe rely on them to arrest the Ikuchi as long as we hand them over on a silver platter?”  
  
“Exactly.”  
  
“You told the Deputy Commissioner what we’re planning?”  
  
“Not in the strictest of terms. A lot of implications and hypotheticals—as soon as he started thinking about the nice boost to his career this could be, he wasn’t too bothered about pressing for details.”  
  
Jun smirked. “I’m sure it helped that you were the one talking to him. You always did have a way at convincing people to see things your way.”  
  
“Maybe.”  
  
“What’s the catch?” He knew there had to be one; nothing went that smoothly.  
  
“Jurisdiction, mainly. And seeing as we still don’t know where the Ikuchi even are right now, it’s hard to ask them to commit to any plan.”  
  
“Nino said he’s having trouble locating them.”  
  
“Yeah.” Sho tapped his finger against the dashboard, face thoughtful. “Maybe we need to start thinking about a different approach.”  
  
“Such as?”  
  
“If we can’t find the Ikuchi directly, then we need to look for what we can find. Start at the fringes and work our way from the outside in. All we need is the right connections.”  
  
Jun scrunched his nose up at the suggestion. “That sounds like it will take time.”  
  
“I think if the past few weeks have taught us anything, it’s that rushing matters is never the best way to go.” Sho glanced over at Jun and frowned at the look on his face. “There’s not exactly much else we can do, Jun.”  
  
Jun said nothing.  
  
“And if the Ikuchi are wrapped up in some deal right now, then it means they’re not likely to bother with us anytime soon.”  
  
Jun sighed. “I know.”  
  
“You’re still not happy.”  
  
“I just don’t like the uncertainty. Or the waiting.” Jun shrugged. “I’ll feel better when they’re all gone for good.”  
  
Sho looked at Jun, face thoughtful. He turned back to the ship’s controls and updated the destination coordinates on the navigation panel. “I think you’ll also feel better once you eat something. Hunger never helps anything.”  
  
Jun met Sho’s eyes and almost snorted. “Are you sure you’re not just feeling hungry? Don’t think I don’t know you, Sho.”  
  
Sho laughed. “Maybe. But you’ll see that I’m right. And this dumpling place really is worth the stop, you’ll thank me for it.”  
  
He shot Jun a warm, confident smile and Jun couldn’t help but smile in return.  
  
"Fine. Take me to the dumpling place. But you're paying; I'm not a cheap date, I'll have you know."  
  
Another laugh from Sho. "I never thought any differently."

 

─────────────

  
  
  
Sunset had arrived by the time they landed back on Jizo, leaving the sky flushed dusky pink and orange. It was still warm when Jun stepped out of the ship and he stood still for a moment, basking in the glow of the last beams of sunlight disappearing over the horizon.  
  
He looked over at Sho as he walked past him and reached a hand out to stop him.  
  
“Hey. Sorry for ruining our date.”  
  
Sho turned to him and cocked his head, frowning slightly as if unsure whether Jun was being serious. “It’s okay. Wasn’t exactly a date, after all.”  
  
“Really?” Jun moved to face Sho properly. “Felt a bit like one towards the end there. I enjoyed myself.”  
  
What he mostly enjoyed was the way Sho couldn’t help his excitement when they stopped for the supposedly famous dumplings on their way back, ordering way too much just so Jun could try everything he liked and loosening up enough to let their conversation flow more comfortably than it had before. It made him forget that there had been any other reason for their trip than to just spend time together, enjoying each other's company.  
  
A hint of a smile blossomed on Sho’s face. “Does that mean you wouldn’t be adverse to another date in the future? A proper one, next time.”  
  
“Perhaps.” Jun took a step forward. “You know, there’s only one real way to judge the success of a date.”  
  
Sho was slow to catch on, face creasing into a puzzled expression, but his breath hitched when Jun leaned in close.  
  
"But I'll save that for the proper date."  
  
He pulled away, pleased by Sho's wide-eyed look of surprise, and made to leave before he could succumb to the urge to do what he really wanted.

 

─────────────

  
  
  
Jun spent the nights that followed their excursion to the IPD staying up late in the workshop sorting through the information he'd stolen and the notes he'd made. There were so many things to consider as the odds were so severely stacked against them and he didn’t want to be unprepared. He made new notes as he went, jotting down ideas and reminders for himself of things he needed to talk to the others about when he next saw them—including some notes he didn’t plan to share with anyone else. Not yet.  
  
It turned out that Nino had been on much the same page as Sho. He’d been combing through every contact he had looking for any lead to the Ikuchi until he found one that could work: a weapons dealer he vaguely knew who apparently liked to dabble in some less legitimate business on the side. From what Nino learned, this man had a scheduled meeting with Ikuchi members every month.  
  
It was a good lead, but it meant waiting. That wasn’t something Jun was good at, so he found ways to occupy his free time and keep himself feeling useful.  
  
Sho sat across from him, head slumped on his arms that rested on the table. He always stayed up with Jun even as Jun hardly talked to him, focused as he was on his tasks. It was comforting to have someone there with him as he worked to bounce ideas off, especially with that person being Sho, who was always thoughtful and practical but willing to indulge Jun’s suggestions.  
  
Neither of them had made any further moves since Jun almost kissed Sho in front of his ship. There was an undeniable tension, though, that brimmed under their every interaction—as if they’d returned right back to how they were on Arashi. Jun often caught Sho staring at him, his eyes transfixed on the curve of Jun’s body as he worked on the ships, or the stretch of his neck as he leaned back in his chair. And he would be lying if he said he didn’t also regularly stare right back.  
  
He looked at Sho now, face peaceful in apparent sleep. Jun found his eyes drawn, as they often were, to Sho’s mouth, the soft pout of his lips.  
  
It was hard not to want to kiss them.  
  
Jun pushed the papers in front of him into a pile and stood up. The noise of his chair scraping along the floor didn’t stir Sho, so he walked around the table to take the seat next to him. He leaned his arm against the table and faced Sho, taking the time to consider him as he slept. To consider what he wanted.  
  
His presence must have roused Sho because he stirred, eyes opening blearily to meet Jun’s gaze. He shifted, keeping his eyes on Jun, and his face opened into a small, fond smile.  
  
“Hi,” he croaked, voice still heavy with sleep. “Sorry, I must have fallen asleep. Is everything alright?”  
  
Jun nodded.  
  
“Are you going home for the night? I guess I probably need to get back to Aiba’s.” He stretched out, releasing the tension in his muscles and wiping the sleep from his eyes.  
  
Jun stayed still.  
  
Sho cocked his head, brow furrowing with concern. “Sure everything’s okay?”  
  
Jun took a deep breath and leaned forward. He locked his eyes on Sho’s, expression serious.  
  
“You said once before that you don’t want to live your life with any regrets.” He paused. “I’m starting to realise that I don’t want to either.”  
  
Sho’s eyes widened. They brightened with anticipation, becoming increasingly hopeful as he shifted closer, and Jun could feel the invisible current that seemed to pull them together.  
  
“Wait,” said Jun, before Sho could close the gap. “I need to say some things first.”  
  
Sho hesitated and pulled back a fraction.  
  
“I owe you an apology. More than one, actually.”  
  
This was clearly not something Sho had been expecting, based on the confusion that crossed his face.  
  
“You don’t need to apologise to me.”  
  
“I do.” It was so hard to find the right words, but Jun had to if he wanted them to be able to move forward. “I haven’t been fair to you. Not for a long time; not since you left us.”  
  
They both knew the unspoken word there was _me_ instead of _us_.  
  
There was too much understanding on Sho’s face when he next spoke—understanding that Jun wasn’t sure if he deserved.  
  
“I never should have left.”  
  
“You had to. You were doing what you thought was right.” Jun knew they weren’t just empty words, even if Sho’s expression still seemed doubtful.“It wasn’t fair of me to blame you for everything.”  
  
“You were upset.”  
  
“I was an asshole. It was a difficult time for everyone, and I lashed out at you when I shouldn’t have.”  
  
Sho’s smile was gentle enough to make Jun ache. “If you were ever an asshole to me, it’s because I deserved it. But I forgive you.”  
  
He did kiss Jun then, slow and sweet. It somehow felt like the first time, but also so painfully familiar, as if they belonged together just like this. Jun suddenly couldn’t understand why he’d had to complicate matters so much, and he poured his apology into the kiss, to make up for the words that would never be enough.  
  
Breaking apart was hard to do.  
  
Sho was the one to finally pull away properly, after several failed attempts. "Both of us really need to sleep," he said, but his eyes didn't look as if they agreed with what he was saying.  
  
"No I don't," replied Jun.  
  
"You do. We leave in a few days, and you haven't been sleeping nearly enough."  
  
Jun sighed. "You're really choosing to care about my wellbeing right now?"  
  
"Come on." Sho stood up and tugged at Jun to follow him. "Stop being difficult."  
  
Jun reluctabtly let himself be pulled out of his chair. He moved a hand to rest on Sho's waist and drew closer. "Hey. Stay with me tonight." At Sho's look, he clarified, "Just to sleep."  
  
Sho cocked his head and smiled. "Okay."

 

─────────────

  
  
  
The city Nino brought them to was one Jun had been to with him once before. He didn’t like it much that time either. Too crowded and filthy, almost suffocating with the mass of buildings crammed together along narrow, winding alleyways that always seemed to stink of garbage and smoke. It was a particular nuisance on this occasion, when they needed to be able to take out the men from the Ikuchi without drawing any undue attention.  
  
Nino insisted on being the one to go into the bar that acted as a front for the weapons dealer’s business. He said the man would be too suspicious of any strangers that tried to enter, and at least Nino had dealt with him before. The plan was for Nino to use his silver tongue to keep the man from suspecting anything too strange while he planted the bug they still had from Kuraokami.  
  
Still, it worried Jun. He was relieved when Nino returned to the booth of the restaurant they’d camped out in, a lazy smirk on his face.  
  
“No problems?” asked Sho.  
  
Nino snorted. “Old geezer thinks I want a cut of his business. I think all the time he’s spent holed up counting his credits has made his brain go soft.” He picked up one of the bottles of beer on the table and took a large swig. “Got a feed yet?”  
  
“Yeah,” replied Sho, frowning at the small computer he had set up in front of him. “Still trying to figure out how to reposition the camera though.”  
  
Nino sighed and held out his hand. “Give it here.” Sho passed the computer over and Nino immediately began tapping at the keys. Jun leaned over his shoulder to better see the screen, showing a surprisingly clear image of what he assumed was the inside of the bar.  
  
The video settled once Nino was happy with the position. “And now we wait,” he said, grabbing the bottle back from the table and leaning back in his chair.  
  
“You’re sure they’re going to show up today?” asked Jun. He didn’t really fancy spending days hanging around this city waiting for Ikuchi members who would never come.  
  
“Count on it. These people don’t mess around when it comes their payment dates. It’s the third of the month, every month, and if someone’s late then you can bet they’ll be losing a finger.”  
  
Jun supposed he had to accept that, so he slumped back in his chair and signalled the waitress over to order some food. They could be stuck waiting for a while, so he figured he might as well take the chance to eat something substantial.  
  
He was barely halfway through his fairly underwhelming meal when Nino grabbed his arm. “I think our friends just arrived.”  
  
Jun looked over at the screen and saw two new men were now in the room, backs facing the camera as they talked to the old man behind the bar. “Sure it’s our guys?” Jun asked, squinting at the screen to try make out any identifying features.  
  
Nino pointed at one of the men. “Tattoo on the back of baldy’s neck. Sea serpent. It’s them.” He looked over at Aiba and called him over. “Aiba, you’re up.”  
  
Aiba clambered out of his seat and moved next to Nino. “See those guys?” asked Nino, pointing at the screen. “You think you can remember what they look like?”  
  
“Leave it to me,” said Aiba, already turning to leave the restaurant.  
  
Nino turned the computer screen around to let Ohno and Sho get a good look. “Everyone’s earpieces working?” he asked, pulling the computer back in front of him. The video feed was replaced with a map of the city, centred on where they currently sat. Nino touched something on the screen and a cluster of different coloured dots appeared, only one of them moving.  
  
“Okay, everyone move to position,” he said, and the three of them filed out, leaving Nino behind.  
  
Jun was barely clear of the restaurant when static crackled in his ear. He had to block out the noises of the city surrounding him to focus on Aiba’s voice coming through his earpiece.  
  
_“They’re out. Heading north-west down the main street. I’m about to approach.”_  
  
There was no need to wait for directions from Nino; he’d studied the map well enough to know the best route to take so he could get ahead of the Ikuchi members and cut them off. He slipped through the back streets, moving quickly as he listened to Nino give instructions to Ohno and Sho.  
  
It took a little longer than Jun expected for the sound of Aiba’s voice to return, but when it did, he sounded pleased.  
  
_“Tagged them. And I managed to delay them a little bit too.”_  
  
That hadn’t been part of the plan—Aiba was only supposed to attach a tracker to the Ikuchi members unnoticed and then pull back to tail them—but Jun trusted Aiba to know what he was doing, and the delay, however slight, would help all of them. He guessed he had already managed to overtake the Ikuchi members thanks to Aiba’s distraction, which meant he just had to keep comfortably ahead of them and wait for Nino.  
  
He was about to run out of pathways he knew, thinking he’d need to either ask Nino for guidance or start to improvise, when Nino finally gave him an instruction.  
  
_“Jun, I want you to cut back onto the main street at the next left. Go just like we planned.”_  
  
Jun slowed when he approached the main street, pulling a jacket out from his backpack to throw over his clothes and discarding the now-empty bag on the ground. He zipped it up, straightening the collar, and stepped out into the busy thoroughfare.  
  
It took a moment to gain his bearings. Jun kept his gaze casual as he moved through the crowd of people, searching through them until he caught a glimpse of the men he was looking for. He continued closer to where they were, noticing the way they appeared to slow at the sight of his bright red jacket and the instantly recognisable symbols on the arms.  
  
“I.D. check!” he bellowed into the crowd, not caring that it was probably uncharacteristic of how an officer would normally act. He was looking to spook the Ikuchi members, not play to realism. “Random I.D. check!”  
  
He stopped someone walking past him randomly and held his palm out. “I.D. please, ma’am.” Jun barely noticed the woman’s dark expression as she rummaged in her bag for the appropriate identification, too busy looking out of the corner of his eyes at the Ikuchi members as they slipped down a side alley—the alley that hopefully Ohno and Sho would be waiting for them in.  
  
He spared a brief glance at the woman’s identification and muttered a small thanks before moving past, pushing through the crowd to make his way to the alley. It was empty when he got there, and Jun walked through it cautiously.  
  
The heavy thud of footsteps approaching from behind him had him tensing, hand reaching for where his gun was stowed as he turned around to face their owner. Jun relaxed when he saw it was just Aiba, face aglow with that particular look of adrenaline-fuelled excitement that Jun hadn’t seen in a long time.  
  
“Are the others here?” Aiba asked, looking past Jun.  
  
“Haven’t seen them yet.” Jun pulled the mouthpiece attached to his sleeve up to his mouth. “Nino, where are Ohno and Sho?”  
  
“About ten metres up, turn right. I’m coming now.”  
  
Jun nodded and waved at Aiba to follow him, keeping a constant eye out for anyone coming as they moved forward. He didn’t see the small gap between two of the buildings, obscured as it was by a pile of discarded boxes, until Sho’s head popped out from behind them.  
  
“This way,” he said, voice low, and he signalled them through.  
  
The unconscious bodies of the Ikuchi members were slumped against one of the building’s walls in the cramped space. Ohno was crouched in front of them, gun still in one hand as he held the other out in front of the larger man’s mouth to check his breathing.  
  
It didn’t exactly make the best picture if someone happened across them. “Someone should stand guard,” said Jun, looking around the area they were in. It was closed off on the other end, which meant no easy escape route, but at least they didn’t have to worry about anyone coming from that direction.  
  
“I’ll go,” said Aiba, and he moved back out to the alley.  
  
Jun stepped forward and crouched down next to Ohno. “Stunned?” he asked, checking to see the subtle signs that showed the unconscious figures in front of him still breathing.  
  
Ohno nodded.  
  
“Searched them yet?”  
  
“Not yet.”  
  
Jun reached forward to start pulling at the men’s clothes, digging his fingers into every pocket. He took out any object he found to hand to Ohno, working his way down methodically.  
  
Another thing that Jun never liked about this city was that there was nowhere to land and keep ships besides large, overpriced parking bays on the city outskirts. But today it was something he could be glad for: it meant that the Ikuchi members would have also had to leave their ship in one of them, and once he found the token belonging to whichever place it was, they’d know where to go next.  
  
He pulled the small, yellow disc he’d been searching for out of the bald man’s front jacket just as Nino finally joined them. Jun turned and tossed it over, watching as Nino plucked it gracefully from the air.  
  
Nino turned the disc over in his fingers to examine it. “Cheap bastards,” he murmured. “Didn’t even spring for a place with decent security.”  
  
“Neither did we,” Sho pointed out.  
  
“I’m not complaining. Makes it easier for us.” He shoved the disc into his jacket and looked over at the small pile of objects Ohno had gathered in front of him. “Anything interesting?”  
  
Ohno shrugged. “About what you’d expect.”  
  
“We should take their comm devices with us,” said Jun, still finishing his pat down for anything he might have missed. “Don’t want them getting a chance to make contact with the Ikuchi.”  
  
“Just take it all. We can figure out what’s important later.” Nino pulled the bag he was carrying off his shoulder and passed it over to Ohno.  
  
Ohno started putting everything into the bag and paused. “Even these?” He picked up the two small vials Jun had found in the smaller man’s possession—full of what he assumed was enough red eye to fetch a pretty penny from the right seller. Whether the drug was being carried for personal use or for a buyer Jun wasn’t sure, but he had to hope for the former. It would complicate their plans if the men they just rendered unconscious were due anywhere else that day.  
  
Nino rolled his eyes at Ohno. “No, leave those on them. Guns too, but take the ammunition.”  
  
“Okay.” Ohno frowned. “Wait, why?”  
  
“Because when we report them to the police, we want to give them enough cause to hunt down the arrest warrants I'm sure these two have out for them." Nino clicked his tongue against his teeth. "Honestly, do you even listen when I talk?"  
  
"I think Ohno was in the bathroom when you explained that part," said Sho. Nino wasn't listening, already moving to leave the alley.  
  
Sho patted Ohno's shoulder sympathetically. "Come on, then. Let's go."

 

─────────────

  
  
  
The group had to split up for the next part of their plan. Jun and Nino took care of finding the ship that belonged to the Ikuchi members while the others left on _Arashi_ with the intention of meeting up later.  
  
The plan was simple enough: use their stolen ship to connect to the other Ikuchi members and determine their location without arousing suspicion. Simple, but with so much potential to fall apart. Cutting video feed on the ship would at least remove the problem of being recognised visually, but it wouldn’t change their voices, and they had very little information about the men they would be impersonating to work off—only names and vague details about the deal they had been conducting with Nino’s weapons dealer friend.  
  
Jun couldn’t explain why, but he felt strangely optimistic when they set off. It felt right to be doing this with the five of them, as if nothing had changed since they used to run missions together  
  
“You recorded the footage from the bar, yes?” he asked Nino once they were in the air. “Can I see it again? With sound, this time?”  
  
Nino reached over to take out the computer from his bag and pulled up the video he’d recorded earlier. He skipped through to the part where the Ikuchi members arrived, turning up the volume when they began talking to the weapons dealer. Jun mouthed along to the more talkative of the pair as he spoke. It was difficult to hear—the audio wasn’t of the clearest quality—but he concentrated on picking up the cadence of the man’s speech and the exact pitch of his voice.  
  
“You good?” Nino asked once he’d gone through the short clip a second time.  
  
“Yeah.” Jun’s voice came flatter and deeper than usual. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath. “What do you think? Convincing enough?”  
  
“Sounds like the making of a star performance to me. You should take your talents to the theatre troupe when we’re done with this.”  
  
“I always did want to be an actor as a kid.”  
  
“Well I always wanted to sleep on a bed made of money in my own personal gaming fortress, so maybe we can both try achieve our dreams once we go home.”  
  
Jun snorted. “You had weird childhood dreams.”  
  
He turned his attention back to the screens in front of him, ensuring everything was set as it should be.  
  
“You ready?”  
  
“When you are.”  
  
The ship they’d stolen fortunately used an operating system that Jun knew reasonably well; it wasn’t hard to find the right settings to connect to the Ikuchi’s main ship. Still, he found himself holding his breath as he waited for a response.  
  
The screen flickered and a man’s face appeared in front of them. _“Yeah?”_ His voice was gruff, matching his craggy appearance.  
  
“It’s Ichikawa,” said Jun, hoping that a simple greeting would be enough. He was going to try get through this with as short sentences as possible.  
  
_“I know that, dumbass, you don’t need to tell me every time. Why is your video off?”_  
  
“Malfunction.”  
  
The man sighed. _“Whatever. Did you make the drop?”_  
  
“Yes.”  
  
_“Good. Now get your asses back here. The boss wants everyone on board before we leave for Izanami.”_  
  
Jun looked over at Nino. He nodded, and Jun turned back to the screen.  
  
“We’ll be there.”  
  
The man he’d been talking to cut the connection and Jun breathed a sigh of relief. He looked back over at Nino.  
  
“All good?”  
  
“Just sending this picture over to Sho.” Jun could see an image capture of the man he’d been talking to on the screen in front of Nino. “I’ve got the location of the Ikuchi completely locked, we should have no trouble tracking them.”  
  
“How far?”  
  
“Only a few hours. Four, maybe.”  
  
Jun nodded. “Can you update the projected flight path for me? I’ll find somewhere suitable for us to meet up with the others.”  
  
“Two seconds, hold on.”  
  
Nino’s fingers moved deftly over the control panel in front of him and the map that Jun was looking at shifted to show their new route. He studied it carefully, taking note of anything that seemed potentially important, before focusing on a fuel station not too far away.  
  
“Here.” He tapped the screen and Nino leaned over his shoulder to get a look.  
  
“I’ll message the others.”  
  
The ship they stole was slower than Jun would have liked, and _Arashi_ managed to arrive at the fuel station before them. It was a rather quiet place, but they still waited to be safely within the confines of _Arashi_ before saying anything beyond quick greetings.  
  
“Did you send through the Ikuchi’s location to the IPD?” Jun asked Sho as soon as they were settled around the dining table.  
  
Sho nodded. “Yes, but I’m just waiting to hear back from them. I think it will probably take a couple of hours to sort out all of the final details.”  
  
Nino stretched back in his chair and lazily rolled his shoulders. “So we’ll hang here and make sure we’re completely ready while we wait for that?”  
  
“Hopefully it won’t take to long. I’ll go try get through to them again now.”  
  
“What are we doing about the Ikuchi ship?” asked Aiba as Sho moved from the table. “Leaving it here?”  
  
Nino was just shrugging a response when Jun spoke up. “I think we should take it with us.”  
  
Everyone turned to look at him. “It’s too big to store on _Arashi_ ,” said Ohno.  
  
“I mean, we should fly it. Or I should, seeing as it’s my idea.”  
  
“But why?” Nino frowned. “That wasn’t part of the plan. We have the location of the Ikuchi now; we don’t need it anymore.”  
  
“I know, but I think it would be better to have it just in case something goes wrong.” Jun set his face into the stubborn look he knew Nino found annoying to argue against. “You don’t need me on _Arashi_ for the next part anyway. Let me take the Ikuchi’s ship as backup.”  
  
Nino hesitated for a moment longer and sighed. "Fine. If you really think it's important."  
  
"I can come with you," offered Aiba.  
  
Jun shook his head. "Stay on _Arashi_. I'll go alone."  
  
Aiba frowned. "Okay, but you shouldn't be flying solo on so little sleep. Go rest for a bit and we'll wake you when we're ready."  
  
Jun didn't feel tired but he wasn't about to push his luck by arguing. He nodded at Aiba and stood up to leave for the bedrooms.  
  
He hadn't realised Sho was still in the room. He stood at the point where the dining area met the living room with his arms crossed and looked at Jun strangely when their eyes met. Jun gave him a brief nod of acknowledgement before he turned for the stairs, feeling Sho's gaze follow him as he left.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the delays, and thank you for your patience.
> 
> Warning for a fairly major/graphic injury in this chapter.

Jun thought he would be far too restless to sleep, but before he knew it, the sound of his alarm rang to let him know that the two hours he set aside for his nap were up. It took a few groggy seconds for him to come to his senses, and then he bolted upright, alarmed that he’d let himself fall asleep so easily. Perhaps Aiba was right to tell him he needed to rest.  
  
His eyes were slow to focus as he fumbled for his alarm. A light had been left turned on in the room and he squinted away from it, feeling the slight stirrings of a headache. There was no time to worry about it right then; he needed to push himself to get moving. With the alarm turned off, he pulled his arms above his head to stretch out his body, taking a long, deep breath before forcing his eyes properly open.  
  
And froze, when he realised he wasn’t alone in the room.  
  
Jun pushed away the covers and swung his legs around the side of the bed. “Is this going to become a habit of yours? I didn’t realise I signed up for being stared at in my sleep.”  
  
Sho looked at him from where he sat across from him. “And what did you sign up for, Jun?” There was no smile on his face; he seemed to have asked the question in earnest.  
  
The oddly serious response to his offhand comment threw Jun. “What?” He rubbed his face, and tried to pull the fog of sleep from his mind so he could think more clearly. “Wait, why are you even here? Are we leaving?”  
  
“Soon.”  
  
Jun frowned. “You should have woken me up.”  
  
“I would have in a moment. I just needed a moment to think.”  
  
His eyes were intent on Jun as he spoke, but there was a strangely distant glint there that Jun couldn’t quite read.  
  
“Did something happen?”  
  
Sho shook his head. “Everything is still going as planned, don’t worry.” He leaned forward and rested his arms on his knees, still looking serious. “That’s not what I needed to think about.”  
  
Jun was aware that he didn’t really have time to sit around and participate in this cryptic discussion, not when he needed to get ready to leave. Still, something in Sho’s expression kept him from moving.  
  
“Tell me why you really want to take the other ship.”  
  
He should have seen that coming. If he had, maybe he could have been better prepared to stop whatever suspicions Sho held in their tracks.  
  
“I told you already.”  
  
“Don’t lie to me, Jun. I know you too well.” Sho sighed and slumped his shoulders. “You’ve got something planned and I want you to tell me what it is.”  
  
Jun stood up then, and moved over to his neatly folded clothes at the foot of his bed. He pulled off the shirt he’d been sleeping in before reaching for them, keeping his back turned to Sho all the while.  
  
“There’s nothing to tell, okay?” he said as he dressed. “I don’t want you to worry.”  
  
“Then I’ll come with you.”  
  
Jun spun around to face Sho. “No.”  
  
“No?” Sho raised his eyebrows and stood up from the bed. “Why not?”  
  
He couldn’t find a good enough answer. “We don’t have time for this,” he said, and turned back around to continue changing, movements rushed as he pulled off his pants.  
  
It didn’t deter Sho.  
  
“All the more reason for you to let me go with you,” he said, and Jun wanted to disagree but he said nothing. “Look, I’m not trying to argue with you or talk you down from what you’re planning, but if you’re going to do something dangerous, then I don’t want you going alone.”  
  
Jun paused for a second, the only acknowledgement he gave to Sho’s words. Sho let the moment hold, giving him a chance to respond, before he continued speaking.  
  
“Whatever you thought you signed up for, you signed up for me. That means I’m going to be by your side every step of the way, whether you like it or not.”  
  
Jun turned around slowly to face Sho as he finished buttoning up his pants. Sho was waiting for him with his arms crossed against his chest and an expectant look upon his face and Jun frowned.  
  
“I don’t—” he stopped, and swallowed thickly, trying to find the right words. “If I do something stupid, I don’t want to drag you into it. I can’t do that to you.”  
  
“And you think I can just stand by and watch you? That’s not fair.” Sho took a step closer. “Besides, in case you’ve forgotten, I was the one who dragged you into this mess to begin with.”  
  
“I think that fate was decided since long ago,” said Jun, but he was just being argumentative for the sake of it. Sho knew so too, and he looked at Jun with an expectant raise of his eyebrows.  
  
It was always slightly irritating when he could feel his resolve crumbling. Jun sighed.  
  
“You’re right. Why do you have to be right?  
  
A small smile curled onto Sho’s face. “Because I’m older and wiser. You should remember that.”  
  
Jun snorted. “I’m not sure you’ll be feeling so wise in a few hours when you remember that you were the one who wanted to join me. But if you really insist that this is the way it’s gotta be…”  
  
The briefest glint of panic flashed through Sho’s eyes and Jun wondered if they were making a big mistake; that Sho was now regretting his choice. But he pushed it down and steeled his face into a look of confident determination that Jun had seen many times in the past.  
  
It usually came right before trouble or triumph; sometimes both. In this case, Jun knew there would be plenty of trouble, so he had to hope the triumph would follow.  
  
“It is,” Sho said, and held his gaze for a long moment. He looked down at his watch and winced. “We do really need to get moving. You get your stuff and I’ll go tell the others about the change of plans. We’ll talk properly once we’re in the air.”  
  
Jun nodded, and Sho squeezed his hand briefly before he left the room.

 

 

 

─────────────

  
  
  
It took time for Jun to work his way up to coming clean with Sho. He acted as if nothing was amiss when they set off, keeping in constant communication with the others as they flew and making Sho recap what had happened while he was asleep. Sho indulged him; he made no move to press Jun to open up, even as the time until they would reach the Ikuchi ticked by.  
  
Eventually, Jun reached the point where he could delay matters no further. Something in the air shifted as silence fell between them, and Jun knew they were both aware of the change.  
  
It was Sho who broke the tension first. “So,” he started, and Jun stiffened, knowing what was to come. “Are you going to tell me what exactly the plan is?”  
  
Jun ran his tongue under the top row if his teeth, letting the harsh ridges press a firm line across the tip. He stared forward as he did and gave himself a few seconds to consider his response.  
  
“The bag behind your seat,” he said, inclining his head slightly. “There’s a tablet in the side pocket. My tablet.”  
  
The movement of Sho reaching over to tug at the zipper of his bag flickered in his periphery and Jun waited until he sensed him settle back into his seat.  
  
“If you look at the recent files, there should be a document there—”  
  
“Ah, Jun? Password?”  
  
Of course; he should have remembered. It wasn’t as if Jun had been expecting to need to let anyone know his password, and now it was too late to change it.  
  
“I’m not going to use it again after this, I promise. And you can change it later if you’re worried.”  
  
Jun hesitated and sighed. He muttered the name of a cheap brand of whiskey he knew Sho wouldn’t have to ask for him to spell, and a number representing a date Sho surely would recognise.  
  
There was no need to actually look at Sho to see his expression; he could practically feel the amusement radiating at him in a wave of warmth. Or maybe that was just the heat of his own cheeks flushed with barely-suppressed embarrassment.  
  
“I knew you were secretly a sap at heart.”  
  
“Don’t,” Jun warned. He glanced at Sho briefly to shoot him his strongest glare, but Sho just smiled back.  
  
“You’re cute,” he said, and Jun scowled.  
  
Sho mercifully dropped the matter there and turned back to the tablet in his hands. “So, there’s something you want me to look at?”  
  
“Yeah. It’s just a document titled ‘M’—shouldn’t be too hard to find.”  
  
“Hm… got it.” Sho looked at Jun. “This is password protected also.”  
  
“0-1-0-9.”  
  
He wasn’t sure if that number would trigger a reaction from Sho. If it did, he said nothing.  
  
“I’ve been compiling that information over the past week,” Jun explained. “Mostly from what I got from the IPD.”  
  
“You really dug far back.”  
  
Sho fell silent then, presumably concentrating on what he was reading. It wasn’t a particularly dense collection of notes—Jun had cut everything he found down to the most crucial parts—but time seemed to slow to a crawl. Jun tried to keep his finger from tapping nervously against the dashboard.  
  
He gave Sho what he thought was enough time to process the information before he spoke again. “After finding out that the leader of the Ikuchi had been a part of the Umibozu, I became curious. I knew the IPD would have plenty of records stored away on both groups, so I thought if I got ahold of them, I might be able to find something.”  
  
“Seems you certainly did.” Jun noticed Sho lean forward in his seat. “If I’m interpreting this correctly, it means you think…”  
  
Jun nodded, filling the space of Sho’s unfinished sentence.  
  
“Are you sure?”  
  
“It adds up. The IPD kept good records on the Umibozu before they took them down, so I consider their information pretty trustworthy.” Jun swallowed and his hand clenched into a tight fist. “Even if it wasn’t him who pulled the trigger that day, he was still part of the Umibozu. He’s still responsible. And he’s the one who tried to get Nino killed and probably wants the rest of us dead too. I think I’m hardly likely to feel bad about making a mistake.”  
  
Sho had tilted his head to look directly at him as he spoke; Jun could feel his gaze, heavy, on the side of his face. He still didn’t turn to return the stare.  
  
Sho sighed. “I didn’t realise you were on your own personal revenge mission all this time.”  
  
Jun said nothing.  
  
“How long?”  
  
“Always.” Jun gripped the ship’s joystick tightly. “She was a friend, Sho. Your friend too. It’s not like I could just stop thinking about how those bastards ripped her life away from her with no good reason. She never deserved that.”  
  
“No she didn’t.”  
  
Seconds passed. Jun glanced at Sho then, and saw that his head was turned down towards the tablet, fingers hovering over the screen. They stilled, and he looked up.  
  
“So, let me guess: you wanted to take this ship so you could go after this guy by yourself?”  
  
Jun swallowed. “I figured I’d have to play it by ear.” His eyes drifted back to the ship’s navigational panel, not wanting to lose track of their progress. “But I thought that if I had this ship, there would be a good chance of them letting me aboard without suspicion.”  
  
“And you expected it just to work out from there?”  
  
“No,” he replied, without hesitation. “But there’s a chance that it might. If I fail, there’s still the IPD to take care of them.”  
  
Jun wasn’t actually convinced he could rely on that plan, but he wasn’t about to add more reason for pessimism.  
  
“They could kill you.” Sho’s voice was strained. “Before the IPD show up. It could be too late, Jun.”  
  
“They’re not going to.” Jun shook his head, jaw tightening. “I won’t let that happen. Not now.”  
  
He looked at Sho, trying to put something in his gaze that could reassure him. Sho met his eyes for a few seconds before he looked back down and nodded slowly.  
  
Jun waited for Sho to say something, whether it be more questions or an attempt to dissuade him, but he didn’t speak. Instead, Sho reached for the communication panel in front of him. Jun’s eyes widened when he realised he was calling _Arashi_ , but Jun didn’t move to stop him. He felt as if he couldn’t; after he had forced Sho into such a difficult position, he had the right to choose the next steps he wanted to take.  
  
Thinking that didn’t make him feel any better when Nino’s face appeared on the screen.  
  
_“Sho?”_  
  
“Nino. Can I ask you some questions and get you to promise not to ask me why I’m asking them?”  
  
_“No.”_ Sho frowned. _“I’ll try.”_  
  
“You haven’t reached the Ikuchi yet, have you?”  
  
_“Still a little far out, but we’ll be there soon. We’re a bit ahead of you.”_  
  
A big part of Jun just wanted to keep a careful watch of Sho as he talked to Nino, but he was also wary that he needed to keep some attention on piloting the ship.  
  
_“We still have to time things right with the IPD, so we’ll have to hang back and wait a bit. No use blowing our cover.”_  
  
“But you’ll still be close enough to use the program, right?”  
  
_“Sure. Need to make sure it’s all working the way we want.”_  
  
“And once you do, what can you—”  
  
_“Okay, Sho? Just tell me what it is exactly you want. It will make this all a lot easier.”_  
  
Jun stiffened and held his breath as he waited for Sho’s response, not daring to look over.  
  
“Can you send over a full layout of the Ikuchi ship, and any other information you can get on how it operates? Video feed too would be great.”  
  
_“Video will depend on whether they have any security cameras on board. Otherwise, yes.”_  
  
“And you’ll be able to shut down their power if need be, right? Say, create a blackout?”  
  
_“Should.”_ There was a pause. _“Do I get to ask why you want to know?”_  
  
“No.” Jun looked over at Sho. “I’ll explain properly soon, don’t worry. Just, can you send over what you can as soon as you get it?”  
  
Another long pause. _“Okay. But you’re going to have to spill the next time we talk.”_  
  
“I promise. You’re the best, Nino.”  
  
_“Don’t you forget it,”_ Nino said, and cut the connection.  
  
Sho sat still for a moment after the conversation ended, a contemplative frown on his face. Jun couldn’t tear his eyes away from his face. He felt rather dazed, having expected that to go a lot differently.  
  
Sho looked over to meet his eyes. “I think once we have a better knowledge of the Ikuchi’s ship, we can try plan a way to actually pull this off.”  
  
“I thought you were going to try to stop me.”  
  
Sho tilted his head, considering. “Did you want me to?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“I can’t fault you for wanting to do this.” He sighed. “I’m not going to pretend like it doesn’t terrify me a bit, but I can understand. You need to do this, and I’m going to be there with you.”  
  
Jun’s throat tightened. “We’ll succeed. I’ll make certain of it.” He broke the stare and returned his gaze in front of him. “And then I’m going to make it up to you.”  
  
“I’ll hold you to that.”

 

 

 

─────────────

  
  
  
There had to be some sort of lucky charm aiding them, Jun thought after they reached the Ikuchi ship and made successful contact with them. Not only had their excuse of video malfunction continued to work unquestioned, they didn’t get asked about why they had taken so long to arrive—only short greetings were exchanged before they were directed onto the ship. Either the Ikuchi ran a sloppier operation than they expected, or the men Jun and Sho were impersonating were too well known to be hopeless.  
  
Jun’s body thrummed with nervous energy as they pulled in to dock aboard the ship. Tinted windows were a wondrous invention, but they weren’t an absolute protection from someone aboard noticing something was amiss. Of course, as soon as they disembarked, they would be marked as intruders, but Jun wanted to at least land securely first.  
  
There wasn’t really any time delay, but Jun still held Sho back for a second before unlocking the doors.  
  
“You should stay here,” he said. “Wait with the ship for me to come back.”  
  
He was hardly surprised at the look of disbelief Sho shot him. “I’m coming with you,” he responded, with a voice that called for no argument.  
  
It was worth a shot. “Fine. Keep on alert and cover me. If it gets too much, we’ll retreat and get the hell out.”  
  
Sho nodded and Jun made to move out of the ship. He was stopped by a hand tugging his shirt and found himself being pulled into a brief, intense kiss.  
  
“For luck,” Sho said when he broke away. He squeezed Jun’s arm and then reached over to hoist his gun into his hands, no look of fear marring his determined expression.  
  
As soon as Jun stepped out of the ship, his eyes focused on a man walking towards him. The frown on the man’s turned confused and then alarmed, and his steps became more purposeful.  
  
“Who—”  
  
Jun stunned him before he even had a chance to finish the question.  
  
A switch flipped then, and he felt himself fall into a familiar state. Instinct and experience took over, and Jun moved efficiently through the landing dock without need to pause in order to assess his surroundings. Sho was right behind him; Jun could sense his every movement.  
  
Two more men appeared in front of him, one of them armed. He took them out without hesitation.  
  
This was the time that they had the advantage: the Ikuchi would not have expected a sudden infiltration, and they needed to capitalise on the chaos by covering as much ground as possible before countermeasures could be set in place. They were fortunate also that there had not been many people around the landing dock when they arrived; it would hopefully increase the length of time they could remain undetected.  
  
The first task was to make it into the vents. Thanks to the blueprints Nino sent through, they were able to figure out the best path through them to get to the main deck without having to fight their way through too many people to get there. That was where they were hoping to find the Ikuchi’s leader. It would also be where the real struggle would begin.  
  
Jun reached the vents first, and he stopped to wait for Sho to catch up. “All good?” he asked when Sho was next to him.  
  
Sho nodded. He lifted his wrist to his mouth so he could talk into the comm device he had strapped around it. “Nino, you there?”  
  
Jun couldn’t hear the response; it only transmitted back through the earpiece Sho was wearing.  
  
“We’re good. Ready when you are.” Sho looked at Jun with the briefest of nods and Jun started moving again.  
  
Asking Nino for help had been smart of Sho. With access to the Ikuchi ship computers, there were apparently quite a few things that he could attempt in order to even their odds a bit. He’d been rather understanding of their entire plan when it was explained to him properly, and Jun probably should have expected that had he been less focused on needing to take on everything by himself.  
  
The lights cut out as they made their way through the vents. That was the first, and most obvious, action decided upon; two against forty wasn’t so impossible when Jun and Sho would be able to see properly, and the Ikuchi members wouldn’t. Jun was prepared enough to have more than one pair of night vision goggles in the bag of supplies he brought with him from home. He pulled them on then, slowing a fraction as his eyes adjusted to his now-visible surroundings.  
  
It wasn’t a moment too soon, as they were about to reach the point where they’d have to exit the vents. There was no real way to do it quietly enough to avoid attention, so a fast and aggressive approach would be key.  
  
Jun fired at the nearest figure as soon as he caught sight of them, and cut left before anyone could locate the source of the shot. Commotion immediately erupted through the deck. Panicked shouts and a flurry of movement covered the area, but Jun was more distracted by the flashes of light that bounced around the room from the torches some of the Ikuchi members in front of him held. He targeted them first.  
  
The deck was large, and Jun wove his way through it without much thought to any real strategy. His main concern was just on keeping his shots careful and precise, as the gun he carried had a limited charge. He had another gun on him, but Jun and Sho had agreed it was better to stun rather than kill, not wanting to leave a pile of dead bodies in their wake.  
  
That other gun was being saved for the right moment.  
  
Jun wasn’t sure when that moment was going to materialise. The darkness provided great cover to hide in, but it also prevented him from finding the man he needed. All he could do right then was to take down as many people standing in his way as possible.  
  
Someone was brave enough to attempt to fire back. The shots didn’t come close, and Jun heard the cry of a man being hit metres away, but he still ducked low and ran for cover under one of the tables nearby.  
  
It was a relief when Sho joined him, breathing heavily but seemingly unhurt.  
  
“We need lights,” said Jun, hoping he was pitching his voice right to carry past all of the noise in the room without attracting anyone’s attention. “We can’t do this forever.”  
  
Sho nodded and started to forward the message through to Nino. Jun steadied himself and tried to paint a picture in his mind of his surroundings. He would be all too vulnerable once he moved into the open, so he wanted to formulate at least some kind of plan to best combat that fact.  
  
The lights returned, flickering on slowly, and Jun pulled his goggles off his face. He sprung out from under the table before the lights settled, ready to face whatever came.  
  
A man was on him in an instant. He slammed his body into Jun and almost brought him tumbling to the floor. Jun kept himself on his feet and turned to shoot his assailant but the man was too fast; he grabbed Jun’s wrist and yanked, twisting Jun’s arm painfully so that he could disarm him.  
  
Jun let the gun drop from his hand. There wasn’t time to mourn the loss as it clattered to the floor; he swung his body with full force back towards his assailant and clawed his free hand out to bury into his hair. He pulled, sharply.  
  
Hair pulling wasn’t the prettiest of manoeuvres, but it was effective—especially when Jun kneed the man hard in the stomach simultaneously. That was enough to get the man to drop his hold so he could use both arms to defend himself. Jun brought his newly released arm around to strike the man’s side. The move was deflected, but it didn’t matter. He had already switched to his real intention: Jun let go of the man’s hair and quickly pulled back to deliver a punishing blow to his face, followed by a high kick that knocked him down.  
  
Someone tried to attack Jun from behind at that moment. Jun wasn’t inexperienced enough to let himself be consumed by his fight with the first assailant; he was aware of the movement behind him before the unseen opponent could even land a blow. Jun dropped and turned slightly, sweeping his leg in a semi-circle across the floor to trip the man.  
  
It was a lucky move; a shot fired above him and just missed his hair. Jun immediately threw himself down to roll across the floor, avoiding more gunfire, before he pushed up to seek the source of the shots.  
  
He couldn’t keep still as he searched, needing to keep his movements fast and somewhat erratic until he reached cover, but Jun followed the source of the gunfire up to the walkway of the second floor above him. He was immediately less interested in the man shooting at him than he was in the man barking orders beside him: his left eye marred by a deep scar.  
  
Jun ran.  
  
He threw himself onto the staircase that led to the second floor, keeping as low as he could in a desperate attempt to avoid being hit as he sped with little thought. Another shot rang out, from behind him this time, and hit the man with the gun.  
  
_Sho_ , Jun registered. He was grateful for the assistance, but more than that, he was overwhelmingly glad at the confirmation he was still okay.  
  
There were still more men standing in his way when Jun reached the top of the stairs. Without pausing to think, he jumped onto the narrow railing that ran along the walkway, and used his momentum to fling himself upwards to grab onto the banister before he fell.  
  
He swung his legs at the nearest man and kicked his head so that he collapsed onto the floor. Jun dropped down to land on the space beside him.  
  
Three more Ikuchi members surrounded him: one behind and two in front. That was few enough men that Jun didn’t even consider himself outnumbered. Close combat suited him well, especially when he was without a gun, and Jun knocked back their attacks with brutal efficiency.  
  
He still wasn’t quite fast enough to prevent the Ikuchi’s leader from disappearing into one of the rooms away from him. Jun made a grunt of frustration and intensified his movements, delivering a swift flurry of hits and jabs until only one man was left standing in front of him. A single, solid punch was all Jun needed to finally knock him down.  
  
Before he moved on, Jun looked over the railing for Sho, wanting to know whether he was still holding up okay on his own. It was hard to catch sight of him, although there were at least far fewer Ikuchi members still standing.  
  
A sudden, sharp pain flared in his abdomen, enough to burn through the thick layer of adrenaline that had been protecting his senses. Jun seized with shock and choked. He reached blindly for the source of the pain, fingers grappling desperately until they closed over a hand balled into a tight fist. When he looked down, he could see it was holding a knife, buried deep into his side.  
  
Everything slowed. Jun looked up, feeling dizzy as he looked upon the face of the man he’d failed to notice sneak up on him. His eyes were dark, and he shot Jun a triumphant smile as his hand tensed beneath Jun’s, a fraction of a second away from twisting the knife to seal Jun’s defeat.  
  
With a sudden surge of strength, Jun tightened his grip and yanked the man’s hand away to pull the knife clear. It caused another flash of pain, worse than initial strike, but Jun couldn’t let himself be affected by it. He immediately swung his free hand to punch the man in the face as he kneed him in the groin, and then used the momentum to turn the man’s hand holding the knife towards him. As soon as the blade met skin, the man cried out in pain and the knife dropped out of his hand to clatter onto the floor.  
  
It didn’t take much from Jun then to render him unconscious, even weakened as he was. He picked up the knife from the floor after he was done, retracting the blade, and slipped it into his boot.  
  
When he stood upright again, a fresh wave of dizziness and nausea overcame him. Jun knew that was a sign that he should turn around and find Sho to leave; cut his losses before it was too late. Especially when he didn’t know how well Sho was holding up by himself. Instead, he found himself staggering for the door the leader of the Ikuchi had fled through, grasping for the gun in his holster as he did, guided by a need more powerful than his sense.  
  
It was a foolish decision.  
  
The cold barrel of a gun pressed against his temple the moment he stepped through the doorway. Jun stilled. His heartbeat pounded loud enough in his ears to drown out the sound of the quiet breaths from the man beside him, holding him at his mercy. A hand reached around his body to pluck the gun from his hands, and Jun could do nothing to stop it.  
  
“Who sent you?” The voice was sharp and mocking. “The Amikiri?”  
  
Jun said nothing. The gun pressed firmer into his skin.  
  
“It’s not smart to stay silent. You’re dead either way, but I can save you from the humiliation of being gruesomely executed in front of your friend out there. If he hasn’t been killed already, that is.”  
  
“He’s not so easy to kill.”  
  
“That accent.” The man shifted a step closer. “Jizo, right? You’re one of those pathetic peasant fighters. I’d apologise for not recognising you, but you surely can’t expect me to remember the faces of every piece of trash who thinks they can get in my way.”  
  
Jun had to keep very still, but he tried to focus on making out the contents of the dimly lit room. There was a table and at least one in front of him, but Jun wasn’t sure he could find anything else that could be of use. He needed to stall for more time.  
  
“Seems you might have remembered the ‘pathetic peasant fighters’ responsible for that eye of yours.”  
  
The man sneered. “I should have taken care of you all long ago.” The gun shifted away from Jun’s temple and drifted frighteningly close to his eye. He tensed, not daring to even breathe. “Shall I let you know what it feels like to lose an eye?”  
  
Before Jun could figure out a next move, something hit the ship with enough force to throw them both off-kilter. Without hesitation, he dropped onto his haunches and thrust an elbow behind him in a forceful jab to the man’s solar plexus before he threw himself to the floor, narrowly avoiding the shot that was fired above his head. His body screamed with pain, but he forced himself to roll forward until he could reach the legs of the chair.  
  
Another shot fired. Jun couldn’t tell how close it was. He grabbed the chair and flung it behind him with as much strength as he could muster as he pushed up onto his feet. The throw was too weak for it to be little more than a distraction, but it gave him a precious few extra seconds.  
  
If Jun had his gun, he could have then tried to take cover behind the table to shoot from there. With only the stun gun, and little confidence about how much charge it still had remaining, he had quickly dismissed that as an option.  
  
There was only one real shot left for him to take, and he had to act fast.  
  
As soon as the chair left his hands, he reached down to pull out the knife stashed away in his boot and charged. A third shot fired, but it was wildly off-target. His opponent attempted to recentre his aim, but he was too slow, and Jun was on him before he could pull the trigger once more.  
  
He thrust the knife hard into the man’s side, in a mirror placement of Jun’s own wound, and grabbed the arm holding the gun at the same time to wrench it away out of immediate danger. The man howled in pain, and Jun slammed his wrist against the wall behind them until the gun fell from his hand.  
  
For all that this man was supposed to be the dangerous leader of a violent criminal group, he was clearly not as strong a fighter as Jun, despite Jun’s current state. His attempts to break out of Jun’s were weak, and Jun easily overpowered him.  
  
Believing that he’d gained the upper hand was Jun’s next mistake. Although his opponent lacked strength, he wasn’t stupid, and as soon as he had the opportunity to do so, he struck Jun’s open wound hard with his free hand.  
  
The pain was immense. Jun faltered, ears roaring and vision turning black. With the last bit of clarity and strength he could muster, he slammed his hand against the Ikuchi leader’s face, hearing a solid thump of a skull hitting the wall before he staggered away.  
  
It had to be enough; Jun could feel his consciousness fading fast.  
  
He fell to the floor.  
  
Just before he blacked out entirely, a firm hand gripped his shoulder and started shaking him. Jun didn’t want to respond. He’d done too much already; he was well past his limit, and every moment he kept awake just prolonged the seeping pain in his body.  
  
Someone swore. Jun knew that voice.  
  
He felt himself being dragged up into a sitting position, and Jun struggled to force his body to respond so he could open his eyes.  
  
Sho’s face was there in front of him when he finally did, and seeing it made a tiny spark of energy return.  
  
He tried to smile.  
  
Sho looked as if he might cry.  
  
“You really had me worried.” He squeezed Jun’s arms. “Do you think you can stand?”  
  
Jun nodded. He wasn’t sure if that was really true, but he was going to make certain of it.  
  
With Sho’s help, he somehow made it onto his feet. The pain was starting to settle into a dull throb, and Jun thought maybe he’d have just enough left in him to make it through this.  
  
The ship suddenly shook with the force of an impact, much like it had before, and Jun clung to Sho to steady himself.  
  
“Is someone attacking the Ikuchi?” he asked. That could pose a problem for their safe escape.  
  
“That would be Ohno, I’m guessing,” said Sho. “I asked for a bit of help creating a diversion. I hope the earlier hit didn’t cause you too much trouble.”  
  
“Pretty sure it saved my life. Remind me to thank him later.”  
  
Sho bit his lip. “We need to move; there’s no time.” He looked apologetic and Jun nodded to try reassure him. Sho pulled the comm device on his wrist up to his mouth and spoke into it. “Nino, we’re heading out. I need anything you can think of to help us make it through in one piece now.”  
  
Sho took hold of Jun’s hand and started moving for the door. He stopped in front of the figure of the Ikuchi’s leader, crumpled against the wall.  
  
“Dead?” he asked, looking at Jun.  
  
Jun shrugged. “Not actually sure.”  
  
Sho let go of Jun’s hand to walk close to the man and crouched down in front of him. Jun was expecting Sho to check for a pulse, so it was a shock when he instead reached for the discarded gun on the floor and stood back up to fire two quick shots to his chest.  
  
He turned back around and passed the gun over to Jun. “He is now.”  
  
Only then did Jun notice cold fury in Sho’s eyes, masked behind his worry. There wasn’t time to consider the gravity of the action, when Sho was already tugging at his hand to start moving again.  
  
The ship was thrown into darkness once more, and Jun pulled the goggles still hanging around his neck up over his eyes. Not that he was sure that it would make much difference how well he could see; he basically just let himself be dragged along by Sho as they made their way back through the ship, not able to do much else.  
  
The havoc that Sho and Nino had managed to collectively cause in such a short period of time was impressive. Unconscious bodies lay everywhere, some kind of acrid smoke drifted from the direction of the bridge, and floor of the lower deck was covered by a shallow pool of water that Jun had to careful not to slip in as he ran. The few people left running around the deck didn’t even notice them as they slipped back into the vents, too busy trying to deal with the chaos that had erupted.  
  
Even without any further interruptions, Jun found it difficult to maintain his pace. Sho ended up half-carrying him the part of the way back to the ship, an endless stream of encouragement coming from his mouth at every step. Jun only barely registered the words.  
  
By the time Sho dragged him onto the ship, he was almost completely spent. He was vaguely aware of the ship moving and Sho’s voice desperately speaking to someone—possibly Nino, possibly Jun—but he could hold on no longer.  
  
The last thing he felt was amazed relief that they’d somehow pulled it all off, and then he was out.

 

 

 

─────────────

  
  
  
Jun awoke to the sound of beeping and the sight of white ceiling tile above where he lay.  
  
He didn’t feel as bad as he’d been expecting. The obvious explanation for that was that he had clearly been taken to some kind of hospital, and they’d already performed their medical magic while he was unconscious.  
  
Jun appreciated a speedy recovery, but he hated hospitals.  
  
His faultless logic told him that the sooner he’d get up, the sooner he’d be able to leave, so Jun wriggled his shoulders experimentally and tried to sit up. It was harder than he was expecting.  
  
Someone rushed to his side to steady him with a warm hand to his back. Jun looked over to see that it was Sho, frowning at him with a mixture of concern and disapproval that made Jun grin.  
  
“Thank you,” he said.  
  
“You’re awake,” said Sho. Jun raised his eyebrows at the obvious statement. “I should get a nurse.”  
  
“Wait.” Jun moved his hand to grab Sho’s arm. “Can you hold off for a second? I want to be able to talk to you before we have to get interrupted.”  
  
Sho hesitated for a moment and nodded.  
  
Jun smiled. “Hi.” He wasn’t sure if it was the medication they’d given him, or the weightless relief at everything finally being over, but he felt unusually giddy.  
  
That caused Sho to finally smile. “Hi yourself. It’s nice to see you awake.”  
  
“How long was I out?”  
  
“A full day. You had everyone really worried.”  
  
“They’re all okay?”  
  
“They’re fine.” Sho cocked his head. “Well, Aiba’s not exactly pleased. He already got angry at Nino and me for our part in everything that happened, and I don’t think he’ll just let you off because you’re injured. He’ll probably show up here with a huge bunch of flowers and a lecture about being irresponsible.”  
  
“I don’t think I’ve ever been on the receiving end of an Aiba lecture before.”  
  
“It sounds funny but it’s actually kind of terrifying.” Sho sighed. “He was just a bit freaked out. No one likes to see their friends so badly hurt.”  
  
Jun looked down at his lap, good spirits dissipating. “I keep doing things I have to apologise for.”  
  
“Hey.” Sho took hold of his hand and lifted it slightly, his grip warm and comforting. “Was it worth it?”  
  
Jun thought about it carefully. Was it worth almost dying and putting Sho at risk just to know the man who probably killed Mao and definitely wanted to kill the five of them was now dead?  
  
He looked up at Sho and nodded. “Yeah,” he said. “It was worth it.” He frowned slightly. “Although I never should have lied to any of you.”  
  
“Then it’s fine.” Sho’s smiled. “And you learned something. Don’t do it again next time.”  
  
Jun laughed. “I think I’ve had more than a lifetime’s worth of dealing with crime syndicates. I don’t think I’ll be doing that again.” He froze, with a sudden fear clenching his chest. “The Ikuchi didn’t escape, did they?”  
  
“No, no. The IPD came through—it actually all went surprisingly well after we got out.” Sho quirked an eyebrow. “They did have some questions about the state of the Ikuchi’s ship, but I smoothed everything over.”  
  
Jun nodded. “I’m glad.”  
  
They fell into a comfortable silence then, caught in a stare with smiles on their faces. Jun liked Sho’s smile. He liked how open it was, how warm. More than that, he liked being able to return it with a smile of his own, with no doubts or confusion to hold himself back.  
  
“I should really go get that nurse,” Sho said after a while.  
  
Jun sighed. “How long do I have to stay here?”  
  
“Until the doctors say you can go.” Jun pouted and Sho squeezed his hand. “Don’t get petulant. I’ll be here by your side, with food and entertainment and my always charming presence.”  
  
Jun laughed. “Is this going to turn into another one of your strange dates?”  
  
“I’ll have you know that my dates are incredible. I’m a total master of romance and seduction, didn’t you know? How else can you explain me getting the amazing Matsumoto Jun to fall for my charms?”  
  
“You’re ridiculous,” Jun said, but he didn’t stop smiling.  
  
Sho grinned at him and loosened his grip on Jun’s hand. Jun stopped him before he pulled away.  
  
“Wait.” Jun shifted himself around closer to Sho. “If this is going to count as a date, I want to start it off the right way.”  
  
Sho raised his eyebrows. “Aren’t you supposed to wait for the end of the date for that?”  
  
“No,” said Jun, and leaned closer. “I’m done with waiting.”

 

 

 

─────────────

  
  
  
_**-Eight months later-**_  
  


  
  
To say that Sho wasn’t exactly enthused about Jun’s plan was an understatement.  
  
“Oh god, you’re actually crazy.”  
  
Jun ignored him and continued loading up his guns. He was carefully keeping track of exactly how much ammunition he would have with him, knowing how vital that information could be.  
  
“I can’t believe I’m in love with a crazy person.”  
  
Jun made a sound of annoyance with his teeth but he secretly warmed at Sho’s offhand declaration. They weren’t always particularly expressive with each other, both preferring actions over words, but it was always nice to get that extra confirmation that Sho’s feelings hadn’t changed. Even if he was being a pain at that moment.  
  
“I already told you that I’ve done this plenty of times with Aiba before. It’s going to be totally fine, I promise.”  
  
“You want to ride on the _outside_ of a ship. Outside! Ships were designed to have people ride on the inside for a reason, Jun.”  
  
“Can you stop repeating outside like that? It’s breaking my concentration.”  
  
“And it’s not just any ship. It’s Aiba’s ship. The one that’s been modified for reaching terrifying amounts of speed and I’m sure only stays together through the sheer will of Aiba’s hope and determination. Except it won’t be Aiba flying it. It will be me. Flying you around an unfamiliar place while anyone could try to kill you, and when you die, people will look at me and say, _‘Well, what did you expect letting him fly on the outside of the ship like that?’_.”  
  
“You’re not going to be flying it at top speed while I’m on it.”  
  
“Is this funny to you? Do you hate me, is that what’s going on here?”  
  
Jun sighed and put down the clip he was holding. He walked over to the where Sho was standing and put both his hands on Sho’s shoulders, leaning close to look him squarely in the eyes. He could see Sho’s panicking wasn’t exaggerated; he truly did look scared at the thought of what he’d been asked to do.  
  
It wasn’t the first time that Sho had been doubtful of one of Jun’s ideas since they’d started bounty hunting for extra cash. That first time had been when Jun had proposed the whole bounty hunting idea to begin with. They’d originally settled into a quiet life together on Jizo, but both of them had soon yearned to experience more—Sho had gotten used to years of flying from one place to another and missed it, whereas Jun wanted to see everything he’d never really gotten the chance to during the years spent working at the shop.  
  
Travelling across the galaxy was expensive, and Jun had argued that collecting bounties was the perfect way for them to use their skills for the money they needed without having to stay in any one place for too long. They never went for any targets that were likely to cause them too many difficulties; Jun was happy to exchange better money for peace of mind. It just happened that this time around, there were some added complications they had not been expecting, but he didn’t think they were enough to make them need to give up.  
  
Jun sighed as he considered how to best reassure Sho. Taking Aiba’s ship with them, as generous a gift as it was, had been a mistake: Sho never did quite get comfortable with flying it. Jun would have to make certain this was the last time.  
  
“We’re doing it like this because I need to be able to jump off quickly to follow him in case he tries to head underground. Last time we tried this, he got away because it took us too long to land properly. And we can split up so that I’m on the ground to begin with, but this is going to be more efficient.”  
  
Jun spoke with a calm certainty that he used whenever he had to talk Sho into something. It fortunately didn’t happen often; they were on the same page more often than not these days, and Jun liked it when it stayed that way.  
  
“I’ve done this before which means I know what I’m doing and that I’ll be fine. We’re using Aiba’s ship because he refitted the spoilers to fit me perfectly. As long as you can stay mostly flat and avoid being hit, I can manage. You just have to get close enough to the ground when we spot this guy so I can jump off to follow him.”  
  
He paused and searched Sho’s face. It seemed as if he’d calmed down, but he still looked very uncertain, his lips pursed tightly together.  
  
“I’m trusting you here, so trust yourself and trust me.” Jun tilted his head and let small smile blossom on his face. “And I don’t hate you. I love you, okay? So let’s do this and get that bounty.”  
  
He moved forward to press his lips to Sho’s, feeling some of the tension sap from his shoulders as he kissed him. It had only been intended as a brief reassurance, but Jun couldn’t help himself from deepening it once he felt the way Sho melted into him.  
  
That always seemed to be the way with them.  
  
Jun pulled away and Sho tried to follow him, not ready to end the kiss. His eyes were dark and Jun smiled.  
  
“You need to relax a bit.” He took a step forward so that he could press his body flush against Sho, trapping him between Jun and the wall behind them.  
  
“Take deep breaths,” he said, and inched closer. “In”--he rolled his hips up into Sho--“and out.”  
  
Jun repeated the action until Sho’s breaths came in time with his movements, chest heaving under his hands. He moved them back up to Sho’s shoulders and massaged the tight muscle with his fingers.  
  
“You’re so tense,” he murmured, and snapped his hips a little more forcefully.  
  
Sho’s breath hitched and he clung tightly to Jun’s arms. “I wonder why.” The words came slightly strangled. Jun smirked.  
  
“I guess I need to do a better job of distracting you.”  
  
He kissed Sho again, the kind of kiss that was intended to leave Sho unable to focus on anything else, and Jun took the opportunity to reach down for the button on his pants. Plenty of experience made it quick work to get them open, and he felt Sho moan into his mouth when his fingers found Sho’s cock.  
  
As many times as they had done this, Jun never got tired of how responsive Sho was. It took hardly any time until Sho was panting heavily, hips jerking with Jun’s firm strokes. He moved his lips away from Sho’s mouth so that he could hear his voice; guttural groans and incoherent words that vibrated through his skin.  
  
When his other hand slid over the slope of Sho’s shoulders, feeling the tight muscle that stretched under his skin, Jun found himself struck by an idea. He moved both of his hands to grab Sho’s hips and spun him around to face the wall before fitting their bodies together, pressed tightly against Sho.  
  
Jun returned his hand to Sho’s cock once more and Sho melted into him. It was hard to say what was more distracting: the feel of Sho pushing back against him, with small, deliberate movements over his cock, or the way his neck arched and stretched just centimetres away from Jun’s lips, Adam’s apple bobbing with every laboured breath. Jun moved to leave a warm, damp trail across Sho’s jawline, ending with the slightest tug to his ear, before he spoke.  
  
“Have you even been doing the stretches I showed you?” he asked, slowing his strokes on Sho’s cock. “You’re still so tight.”  
  
It took Sho a few seconds to process what Jun was saying, face creasing as he struggled to form a response. “What?”  
  
“The stretches,” Jun repeated. He put some space between them and used his free hand to grab Sho’s arm and pull it behind his back. “You know, like this.”  
  
“Are you really asking me this now?”  
  
“Just answer the question.”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Show me.”  
  
“Jun…”  
  
Jun removed his hand from Sho’s cock, eliciting a frustrated groan from Sho, and held his hips. He leaned in close to speak directly in Sho’s ear. “Indulge me. Please.”  
  
Sho turned his head slightly to look at Jun with exasperation. “This is hardly relaxing.”  
  
Jun just smiled and waited patiently.  
  
The thing about Sho was that he inevitably went along with almost any request Jun made of him. Sometimes with a surprising lack of hesitation; the desire to please seemed to burn greater than any sense of shame, and Jun felt the same thrill every time he did.  
  
Sho had to stand straighter to pull both of his hands up behind his back, only just able to make them meet. It was good enough. Jun made a small noise of satisfaction, and moved his right hand back to grasp the base of Sho’s cock.  
  
“Now you have to hold it. To five. One… two…”  
  
Jun stroked slowly with every count. He could feel Sho trembling with the exertion of holding his position, heavy pants becoming choked when Jun tightened his grip. As soon as Jun reached five, he collapsed, gasping, and Jun hooked his free arm around his waist to keep him steady.  
  
“See? Don’t you feel more relaxed now?”  
  
“You’re a very weird person.”  
  
Jun almost laughed. He curled in tighter against Sho and bit down on a patch of exposed skin near the collar of his shirt, sucking at it with his mouth as he rutted against him.  
  
The problem with spontaneous sex was always the lack of adequate preparation. Jun told himself—not for the first time—that he really needed to start carrying the necessities around in every pair of pants he owned. He knew he could still make do, however; the way Sho was trembling told him that it wouldn’t take too much.  
  
Jun sought one of Sho’s hands and pulled it to hold against the wall in front of them, using it as an anchor as he made Sho bend forward under him. His movements came faster then, and he tried to keep the pace of his strokes quick enough to match.  
  
Sho was shaking now, and Jun knew he was close. He pulled him back upright and swivelled his hips until his back hit the wall. Jun dropped to his knees.  
  
He liked this part the most. Every time, bringing Sho to release was like taking a part of him that no one else could ever have. A part that belonged to Jun alone. He wasn’t patient enough to draw it out, always finding himself too eager once he reached this point, so he sucked Sho’s cock as fast and deep as he could until the first, warm spurts of come hit the back of his tongue.  
  
Sho was slumped against the wall, barely holding himself upright, when Jun stood back up. He smiled at Sho and kissed his cheek.  
  
“Feel a bit better?”  
  
Sho looked at him and sighed. “You play dirty.”  
  
Jun grinned. “Always.” He reached his hand up to brush away some of the sweat-drenched strands of hair plastered to Sho’s forehead. “We don’t have to do this if you don’t want. The money’s not that important.”  
  
“It’s always important.” Sho curled a hand over Jun’s bicep. “This is the last time though, okay?”  
  
“Sure.” Sho’s eyes widened slightly, apparently surprised by Jun’s easy response. “Where should we go next?”  
  
Sho tilted his head and considered the question. “I think… home sounds like a good idea right now.”  
  
Something inside Jun warmed at that. “Home definitely sounds nice.”  
  
Sho smiled. He stood up straighter and moved off the wall, reaching out to curl his fingers over the top of Jun’s jeans. Jun’s cock twitched in response.  
  
“You haven’t gotten to finish yet,” he said, trailing his hand down the front of Jun’s jeans to rub lightly through the material.  
  
Jun leaned in closer. “Are you going to do something about that?”  
  
“Are you going to make me?” Sho responded, almost touching Jun’s lips.  
  
Jun smiled against them and kissed him. He was already coming up with plenty of ideas of what he could get Sho to do for him, but he was going to take his time to get there.  
  
They had no need to rush.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it's done! Thank you to everyone who stuck with this story, even through the rougher parts. I hope there was something in this to make the whole ride worthwhile <3


End file.
